Bridgeport Regional Center
| Bridgeport Regional Center | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1951 |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Demolished | 200X |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Alternate Names | The Kennedy Center |
History
Though the Kennedy Center was founded in 1951 by the Parents and Friend of the Mentally Retarded Stamford Connecticut, the facility on Virginia Avenue in Bridgeport was opened as the Bridgeport Regional Center in 1965.
In 1966, Clifford P. Lockyer, director of the Regional Center proposed a revolutionary idea for housing at the facility. A series of ranches or split level houses were to be constructed in October of that year, allowing patients to live away from their families in a supportive, group home environment. The units, diametrically opposed, would provide accommodations for a maximum of 16 people and would contain a kitchen, dining room, living room, and family area. In this housing arrangement, patients "should be encouraged to assume responsibilities similar to thse discharged by large families." [1]
In 1974, the maximum daily cost per patient was raised by 25% to $130.36, by far the most expensive facility for mental health an mental retardation in the state. Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Images of Bridgeport Regional Center
Main Image Gallery: Bridgeport Regional Center
References
- ↑ Alvarez, Walter C., M.D. "Schools for Mentally Retarded Develops Ability to do Something." The Hartford Courant, sec. Local News: 46B. April 14th, 1966. Digital. Accessed 09/25/2013
Links
- The Center's website: http://www.thekennedycenterinc.org/
