Searching for 1980's Golden Valley MN Psychiatric Patients (fit in, transfer)

[Sammy Williams]

Exactly and is why I started this thread. I haven't talked about it anywhere else until I mentioned it in therapy a couple of years ago. I've been in therapy for years before and never felt able to put into words what happened and I didn't think people would believe me even if I did. Besides I didn't know how much it truly effected me. I completely understand your thoughts on it changing the course of your life. I had a rough start but I think I would have come out the other side mostly in tact. But these places changed that and completely changed my life. I still struggle with the consequences of having been in these places.

[Apparel]

I would never put my kid in a treatment center. In 1991 i was 10 years old and got restrained at bush treatment center in St. Paul and it was late at night i had been acting up and taken to an office where there is a matt and a guy name George was restraining me and i was screaming that i couldnt breath. He told me that if i couldnt breath that i wouldnt be able to talk. Everything is just a blur after that. I remember seeing the digital clock and it saying around 11 pm when i first got in there. When i woke up i was still on the matt. I had wet myself. It was around 3 am. He said to me why did you wet yourself and i cant remember what i said but he said it again and said because you were scared to try and embarress me. I was embarrassed and i thought i was going to die. Its not a good feeling not being able to breath. I was only 10. I felt embarrassed. I didnt tell anyone. He was smart to make me feel that way so i wouldnt say anything.

[Sammy Williams]

This is incredibly sad....i was just speaking to another person who responed to my thread and I brought up memories of seeing little kids next door being restrained while at another facility. At teens, we atleast had some basic understanding of right vs wrong and had a sense of self. But a child, they dont have any foundation to draw upon to understand what was happening to them. My heart goes out to you, that you too were subjected to their cruel trestments at such a younger and tender age. I'm so sorry!!!!! I can only sincerely hope you have been anle to gsin control back and be sekf determining with your life's choices. I hope you have a better life now, despite the abuse by the mental health psychiatric hospitals or treatment centers.

[Sammy Williams]

There is now a Facebook page for survivors so hopefully there will be greater success in connecting friends and follow survivors. Please go and join the page to if others come searching, they will connect with you.
Hopefully this will be helpful to everyone.
The link is: https://www.facebook.com/Golden-Vall...6988823246929/

Please let me know if you experience difficulties connecting to FB page.

[rcwhitgr]

Originally Posted by Nealeykidsmom

This information may not be helpful or some parts may not be accurate but I was a traveling nurse in my 20's around 1995 and went to work for 8 weeks at THC in Golden Valley, MN. THC was next to a building that we were told was a psychiatric facility that was closed down. We were able to go to the empty building to use the washer and dryer. We were told that the psychiatric hospital doors were just locked one day with a sign on the door stating they were closed. Inside the building, that is exactly what it looked like. There were desks with coffee cups with coffee in them. There were medication carts with medications in them. It looked like they left one day after work or during work and never came back. The other thing I found strange is that they housed the nurses in a house within walking distance to THC and the psychiatric building. Normally as a traveling nurse, we are put in apartments. This time it was a huge brick house. It was me and three male nurses. The creepy thing about the house is that downstairs there were several rooms with one way glass. If you were in one of those rooms, you could not see out, but others could see in. We were told it was the home of the psychiatric physician who worked at the psychiatric facility, but he would bring some of the patients to his home for treatment. It was all very odd and creepy and I was happy to leave when my 8 weeks were up. I have always wondered what the "real" story of what happened in that facility and house but I am sure I will never know. So that's the information I have.

Is your hair red? I think I remember you. I was also a new RN working for THC in 1995 and I remember many more stories about unusual events happening in the hospital. I remember there was only one travelling nurse that did not see or hear something in the doctor's house. All that hospital was imploded because of asbestos. A new housing development is there now.Thank you for sharing your story and good luck!.

[Sammy Williams]

The girl with red hair seems to be a memorable patient, as another asked this same question. I dont have red hair, but have light brown hair with blonde highlights (usually called dishwater blonde or dirty blonde but i hate that labels, they seem negative).

As a staff member, I'm sure your views of what you witnessed, your stories, and hearing the other side of things would be very helpful to me, the others who have posted on this thread and are following it, and others to come when they stumble upon this thread. When you have some time, if you could write out your recollections and viewpoints on this psychiatric hospital, it would be appreciated and very helpful to many.

Also, if you could copy and paste your writing to the Facebook page, this will help an even wider population and previous patients who continue to struggle with coping with their hospitalization.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

The Facebook link is: https://www.facebook.com/goldenvalleysurvivors/

[Sammy Williams]

Scott,
I actually received the records from the hospital in the early 1990's before they closed. Even though they are closed, they must be storing records somewhere. I dont know how long they ate mandated to keep records, but it may have expired. You maybe could contact the lisencing of the state and they may be able to send you in the right direction. Hope you're well.
Girl with the teddy bear.

[UndertheKnife]

I was there when I was about 10 or 11. I first went to the adult area, where I learned of the "Blue Burrito" technique...and how to use nicotine gum. I also, however learned how to play guitar there. I then moved to the juvenile area, where I told them of my mothers abuse on me, then insurance ran out, and guess what, back home to more abuse. Golden Valley Treatment Center was my first of a long list of places I went to, and sadly, not the last.

[UndertheKnife]

The stories bring tears to my eyes. It was about 92 or 93 when I was there I think, and I spent at least a week in the adult section...where, as previously mentioned, I witness the horror of the Blue Burrito.

[Sammy Williams]

It’s so sad to hear they were able to stay open for so long and had such a negative effect on so many many children and teens. Many of those that landed at Golden Valley were throw away kids from families that had health insurance. It was a place they sent their children when they became too old and weren’t helpless vulnerable children that they could continue to hurt and abuse, like when younger. As a mom of twin 16 yr olds, I could never even consider placing either son in such an institution, but I’m not an abusive parent either. Hopefully you will find some validation and comfort in knowing your placement there and the mistreatment while in their care is not your fault and was completely out of your control. They hurt all the kids/teens entrusted to their care. I also hope you have or will be able to overcome your time behind their walls and discover a happy and stable life in adulthood.