Mental health exhibit, discussion and film screening hosted by NOLS

March 13, 2025 1:30 am
Courtesy John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum President John F. Kennedy signing legislation that allocated funds for new community mental health centers, photograph by Abbie Rowe, 1963.
Courtesy John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum President John F. Kennedy signing legislation that allocated funds for new community mental health centers, photograph by Abbie Rowe, 1963.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) will host the National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit, “Care and Custody: Past Responses to Mental Health,” at the Port Angeles Main Library and Peninsula College at Forks. Special receptions will feature screenings of the award-winning documentary “Bedlam,” followed by panel discussions and resource sharing.

Port Angeles Main Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.

Exhibit: March 10–29 during library hours.

Reception: Friday, March 14, 5:30–7:30 p.m., documentary followed by panel discussion with representatives from the Washington chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Peninsula College at Forks, 481 S. Forks Ave.

Exhibit: April 2–18, Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Reception: Wednesday, April 9, 5:30–7:30 p.m., with “Bedlam” screening followed by a panel discussion with representatives from the local community.

About the Exhibit:

Curated by public historian and educator Anne E. Parsons, PhD (University of North Carolina at Greensboro), the “Care and Custody” exhibit explores the historical treatment of individuals with mental health conditions in the United States. The exhibit examines the evolving balance between custodial care and inclusive treatment, shedding light on policies shaped by physicians, advocates, families, and government agencies.

The “Care and Custody” exhibit also includes an educational component, featuring a university module and a digital gallery of selected historical works from the National Library of Medicine’s collections. These resources are available online for further exploration.

The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and its companion website.

Documentary Synopsis:

Through intimate stories of patients, families and medical providers, “Bedlam” is a feature-length documentary that immerses viewers in the national crisis surrounding care of the seriously mentally ill. Filmed over five years, it brings us inside one of America’s busiest psychiatric emergency rooms, into jails where psychiatric patients are warehoused, and to the homes – and homeless encampments – of mentally ill members of our communities, where silence and shame often compound personal suffering.

The story is told in part by director Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, MD, whose own life journey has been profoundly impacted by a seriously mentally ill family member. “Bedlam” premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens. Find more information at bedlamfilm.com.

For more information about the exhibit and related events, visit NOLS.org, call 360-417-8500, or email discover@nols.org.