Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC)

The Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC) is Delaware's only public state-operated psychiatric hospital for adults, providing acute care to adults experiencing severe behavioral symptoms. Located to the left on Debnam Drive, the Mitchell Building hosts DPC’s 42-bed forensic psychiatry unit for male and female inmates in the Delaware criminal justice system. This modern, state of the art forensic unit houses a fully appointed Mental Health Court.

Now, scroll down the page and listen to the backstory and context section to learn more about this location.

Originally this building was the Comegys Building, named after Governor Cornelius P. Comegys. It was originally a treatment center for the criminally insane until it burned down and replaced in 1999 by the newly constructed Mitchell building. This new building was named after Jane E. Mitchell who was the first African American nurse to work in a Delaware hospital. The building stands as a tribute to her groundbreaking contributions. During her tenure at the Delaware Psychiatric Center from 1963 to 1980, Mitchell achieved numerous milestones, including becoming the first African American Director of Nursing in the state. Recognized for her leadership, Mitchell received awards such as the University of Delaware’s Medal of Merit, the Unsung Heroine Award from the NAACP, and an induction into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame.

As you cross Debnam Drive and continue up the street, the Kent & Sussex Buildings will appear on the right. Feel free to pause the recording until you reach the entrance.

The Kent Building opened on November 12, 1968 and originally served as a dormitory for hospital patients. Upon its opening, all patients were transitioned from the Main Administration building and the Annex to the Kent Building. Adjacent to the Kent Building, the Sussex Building emerged as another treatment center, strategically positioned due to its proximity to the patient dormitory. This area once housed the hospital’s original Greenhouse, dismantled in 1968 and relocated to its current location. Both the Kent and Sussex Buildings now function as treatment facilities under the management of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, operating as the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC).

Today, the Kent & Sussex Buildings provide acute inpatient and extended care treatment for clients in specialized units with a variety of psychiatric diagnosis including psychotic disorders, mood disorders, substance related disorders, and personality disorders. Upon admission, nurses, psychiatrists, and psychologists use a team approach for crisis stabilization. Then they work with each patient to create an individualized recovery program with ultimate goal of community integration.

Now, let's pause again until we reach the Spiral Cemetery. The Spiral Cemetery and Planting Hope Community Garden may be reached by continuing on Debnam Drive and stopping just before Rusten Road. It is located almost directly across the street from the Kent & Sussex Buildings. 

The Mitchell Building was constructed in 1999 to replace the Comegys Building, which acted as a treatment center for the criminally insane.

This building is named after Jane E. Mitchell who was the first Black nurse to work in a hospital in Delaware. While working at the Delaware Psychiatric Center from 1963 to 1980, she became the first Black Director of Nursing in the state. She also was vice president of the Delaware Nurses Association and served as president of the Delaware State Board of Nursing. Among many other awards, she is a recipient of the University of Delaware’s Medal of Merit and the Unsung Heroine Award from the NAACP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. Currently, this building is a treatment facility maintained by the DPC.

Source: Abrams, Rose Mary. (1889-1939). Delaware State Hospital - The First Fifty Years. Accessed through Delaware Public Archives.

Source: Dettwyler, K. A. (2019). Remembering Farnhurst: Stories from the Delaware State Hospital 1894-1920. Outskirts Press.