Louisiana State Colony & Training School
| Louisiana State Colony & Training School | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1918 |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Location | Pineville, LA |
| Peak Patient Population | 2,900/1953 |
| Alternate Names |
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History
The State Colony and Training School was created by the Louisiana Legislature by Act 141 of 1918, and received its first patients in December, 1921. The original act established the institution to care for “any person affected with mental defectiveness from birth or from an early age, so pronounced that he is incapable of managing himself and his affairs, or being taught to do so, and requires suppression, control and care for his own welfare,or for the welfare of the community, who is not classified as an insane person within the meaning and intent of the laws of the State of Louisiana.” During these times, the facility was completely self-sufficient, with a working vegetable farm, dairy farm operation, and livestock such as chickens, hogs, and cattle. This was during a time when the only way the facility could operate was through self-sufficiency due to budget constraints. Years later, additional funding was given to the agency so they could begin to purchase instead of produce.
The Colony was established to meet a need pointed up for many years by the East Louisiana State Hospital and by the Central Louisiana State Hospital when these institutions, existing to provide care and treatment for mentally ill persons, found that their populations included an increasing number of mentally defective and epileptic persons who were not mentally ill. Originally the Colony was created to provide for mentally defective individuals; later, persons with epilepsy were included, by legislative revision, in the Colony’s responsibility.
In December 1921, Pinecrest had 37 residents, and during the 1970s, the facility had over 2,100 residents. In 2021, Pinecrest supports 430 residents with intellectual disabilities who have significant medical, behavioral, and psychiatric challenges. Pinecrest also has well over 100 individuals with autism who receive specialized programs and training for their unique needs. Pinecrest also has a specialized geriatric program for individuals with an intellectual disability and their unique issues associated with aging and dementia.
