Creedmoor Psychiatric Center
Patient Visitor Guide

Visiting Hours

Creedmoor Psychiatric Center is committed to involving family members in patient treatment and to educating them about treatment issues. To promote ongoing family involvement, the following visiting hours are available:

Inpatient wards, Polaris House, and Gateway Transitional Residence

Monday to Friday
11 a.m. – noon
3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Weekends and Holidays
10 a.m. – noon
2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Visitors are asked to adhere to the above visiting hours except when special arrangements have been made with a member of the treatment team.

All visitors are required to sign in at the first-floor lobby and receive a Visitor’s Pass. A picture identification card is required. Restrictions on visits may be made by the treating team for safety or therapeutic issues. These will be explained should a situation arise.

Special arrangements for children under the age of 16 years must be made with the treatment team ahead of the visit.

Please note that smoking is prohibited.

Programs of Interest

The Living Museum - Creedmoor is home to a museum of art dedicated to, and created by, individuals with a mental illness. The Living Museum is open for visits by appointment. Please call: 718-264-3490.

Day Care - “Bright Beginnings” is located on Creedmoor grounds and offers day care to state employees and any working parents. They accept children between the ages of 8 weeks and 5 years. Fees are determined by income. Contact phone number: (718) 264-3860.

Background and History of Creedmoor

Creedmoor stands on land that was a farm owned by the Creed family. A railroad which ran from Long Island City to Bethpage had a stop close to the campus which was named "Creedmoor." Historical documents speculate that the name derived from the Creed's Moor, which described the terrain.

In 1870, the New York State Legislature purchased a part of the Creed farm and a parcel of an adjacent National Rifle Association range to house the New York State National Guard. Several international rifle tournaments and technical improvements resulting in longer range bullets lead to numerous complaints from surrounding residents. The range was abandoned until 1912.

History under the "N.Y.S. Commission for Lunacy"

1870	200 acres purchased from the Creed family. Land included Creed farm, NRA acreage and New York State National Guard barracks.
1908	Acreage made available as a state hospital site to replace L.I. State Hospital later known as Brooklyn State Hospital, and subsequently Kingsboro Psychiatric Center.
1912	Opened as the Farm Colony of Brooklyn State Hospital with 32 (thirty-two) patients.
1918	150 (One hundred and fifty) patients living in the abandoned National Guard Barracks.
1922	Funds allocated to build patient housing, a powerhouse, kitchen and diningroom.
1923	Funds appropriated to build an administration building, storehouse, firehouse, housing for nurses and other employees.
1926	Buildings 73 and 74 completed and occupied by patients.
1929	Inpatient buildings 70 and 71 opened with medical facilities and a census of 1,163.
1933	Buildings 1 and 2 opened and census reached 3,319.
1937	Construction on assembly hall and Community Store opened. The campus as we see it today south of Union Turnpike.
1950	Creedmoor was housing 6,000 inpatients on the wards.
1956	Buildings 38 and 39 were completed on the north side of the campus.
1959	Building 40, designed to house 1,068 patients was opened. This increased the census to more than 7,000.
1960	The beginning of the census decline with the introduction of medications to treat psychiatric illness.

 

Comments or questions about the information on this page can be directed to the Office of Mental Health Creedmoor Psychiatric Center.