Camarillo State Mental Hospital

History

In 1932, the State of California purchased 1,760 acres (710 ha) of the Lewis ranch, located three miles south of the city of Camarillo, and established the Camarillo State Mental Hospital. Camarillo State Hospital was in use from 1936 to 1997. During the 1950s and 1960s, especially, the hospital was at the forefront of treating illnesses previously thought to be untreatable, for instance, developing drug and therapy procedures for schizophrenia. Programs initiated at Camarillo helped patients formerly relegated to institutions to leave the hospital and move to less restrictive group homes or become (at least nearly) independent. The hospital continued to be a leader in the research of drugs and therapies in subsequent years. They also had one of the first units of any hospital to deal with autism. A dairy was built adjacent to the hospital for the patients to grow vegetables and work with the animals as a form of therapy.

This hospital was also known to treat alcoholism. One of the former patients, Wilma Wilson, wrote "They Call Them Camisoles" (Lymanhouse, 1940) about her short stay in 1939. The "camisole" was referring to restraints that were used on some of the patients.

There was a youth program from 1947-1986 known as the Children's Treatment Center Complex. It was for 168 youth ages 7–18.(repository.library.csuci.edu)

Violent criminals were typically housed at Atascadero State Hospital and not at Camarillo State Hospital. Sexually violent predators (SVPs) were housed at Atascadero State Hospital from the mid-1990s until beginning in September 2005, when they were transferred to the new Coalinga State Hospital built to house that population.

Closing

Pete Wilson, then-governor of California, announced in January 1996 plans to close down the hospital by July 1997, citing low patient numbers and rising costs per patient. Various members of the community, family members of patients, and employees of Camarillo made several last-ditch efforts to keep the hospital open, arguing in part that current patients were already accustomed to the facility and questioned where they would go. Some tried to get mentally ill criminals placed in Camarillo in an effort to save it, a proposal that had come up several times before, but again community members were concerned of the risk of criminals escaping into the community. Governor Wilson ended up standing his ground and the hospital closed down in late June 1997, with the patients and research facilities moved to other locations.

Site turned into California State University, Channel Islands

Originally the state intended to turn Camarillo into a prison, but community opposition in part and interest from the Cal State Universities led to its conversion into a university, California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). CSUCI had its first classes in fall 2002. Some of the buildings of Camarillo have been preserved and revitalized, including many of the original 1930's mission-style buildings, but quite a few appear in various states of disrepair.

Camarillo State Hospital in popular culture

Due to the hospital's proximity to the media center of Los Angeles, it has been referred to in movies, television, and music. Some famous persons suffering from mental illnesses, tuberculosis, or detoxing from drugs or alcohol stayed there to recover in Ventura County's mild climate. Jazzman Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo", written while he was detoxifying after a heroin addiction, is a tribute to the facility.
Other famous patients included Oscar Levant and Phineas Newborn Jr.
The song "Camarillo" by punk outfit Fear also refers to the hospital. The band Ambrosia released a song called "Ready for Camarillo" on their 1978 Life Beyond L.A. album. It has been rumored that the Eagles' 1977 "Hotel California" was a reference to Camarillo State Mental Hospital.