Bonnie Smith - It's a Terrible Place

Bonnie Smith - It's a Terrible Place

Institutions

Family

Madison State Hospital

“It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life.” In the 1970s, Bonnie Smith was having difficulties providing care at home for her adolescent son Brooks. After seeking assistance, it was determined Brooks would go to Indiana's Madison State Hospital. Hospital staff told Bonnie her son needed time to adjust to his new living situation and could not receive visitors for a few months. When Bonnie and her husband went to visit Brooks at Thanksgiving, Bonnie found Brooks wearing clothes that did not belong to him. Bonnie was informed his clothes had been stolen. “It was a terrible, terrible experience. I mean the hospital is a terrible place.” Bonnie was interviewed in 2013.

Indiana Disability History Project

Center for Health Equity at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities

2019-06-07

Bonnie Smith - interviewee

Jennie Todd - interviewer

Peggy Holtz - videographer/editor

Copyright © 2019 The Trustees of Indiana University

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video/mp4

English

Moving Image

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Open to all users

"Bonnie Smith - It's a Terrible Place," YouTube video, 00:02:57, from an interview by the Indiana Disability History Project, posted by "Indiana Disability History" on June 12, 2019, https://youtu.be/FzD_88WaFsk

Indiana, Monroe County, Bloomington

Indiana, Jefferson County, Madison

1960s - 1970s