Curated Video
An Introduction to Pennhurst State School and Hospital
This introduction to the series about the Pennhurst mental health facility, former residents, professionals, and parents discuss the historical and ongoing challenges in treating and integrating individuals with mental differences....
Curated Video
Bad Press for Pennhurst Sparks Calls for Reform
In 1968, a news report highlighting the alarming conditions at Pennhurst revealed that the state spent less on resources for its residents than some zoos do on animals. The shocking revelations, captured by a reporter who gained access...
TED Talks
Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds
Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs...
Curated Video
Pennhurst State School and Hospital is Put on Trial
The Pennhurst case was filed on May 30, 1974, by David Ferleger, who believed it would be resolved quickly due to the evident harm suffered by residents. Initially, the goal was to improve Pennhurst, but it evolved into a movement to...
Curated Video
Life After Pennhurst
Former residents of Pennhurst have moved on with their lives in the last decades and have varying views on their time at the institution. A year after leaving, Bettina found her mother who apologized for the past, but Bettina reassured...
Curated Video
The Misplaced Residents of Pennhurst State School and Hospital
Many residents at Pennhurst never should have been there, such as a boy admitted for mispronouncing "spoon" and having one seizure, or a woman placed there due to severe burns. Others included non-disabled individuals from Philadelphia...
Curated Video
The Harsh Realities of Work at Pennhurst State School and Hospital
At Pennhurst, a few aides were responsible for wards with 50-60 residents, making them reliant on residents they called "work boys" for help. These residents worked long hours performing tasks like cleaning, shaving, and kitchen duties,...
Curated Video
Food Quality and Family Visits at Pennhurst State School and Hospital
In this video, former residents and employees describe how meals for residents of Pennhurst were unappetizingly mixed in a single bowl and they had only 10 minutes to eat. It mentions severe sanitation issues, including the presence of...
The Guardian
Island of Uncertainty: Waiting for Asylum on Christmas Island
Christmas Island, off the coast of Australia, has become a holding place for many of people seeking asylum in the country. The isolation and prison-like conditions of the facility take a toll on the physical and mental health of many...