Bethesda Mental Health History 1948-1993

"In 1950 Bethesda Sanatorium became Bethesda Christian Hospital and changed its mission from serving the needs of tuberculosis patients to serving the needs of those struggling with mental illnesses. This change of mission was due to the successful eradication of tuberculosis and the vision of two Christian denominations to provide a Christian hospital for the mentally ill. . . .In 1993 Bethesda Christian Hospital in Denver was forced to terminate its services and close its doors due to the widening gap between the costs of running a free-standing mental health hospital and the low rate of fee reimbursement from health insurance companies." (from http://bethesda.fallshosting.com/history; also visit https://www.qwaters.org/about-us/history-of-organization/.)

Meindert Bosch, CEO Emeritus of Bethesda, discussing the mental health history of Bethesda. Mr. Bosch worked at Bethesda from 1950-1986 and is the author of Bridges Across the Years: Ninety Years of History; the Bethesda Hospital Association, Denver, Colorado 1895 to 1985.

The Reverend Wayne Van Kampen, former Bethesda Reverend from February 1978 to March 1992, working in Pastoral Care and Education. July 25, 2014