In 1936, a fire destroyed most of the administration section, leaving only a kitchen area at the back.
Since 1945, new therapies and medications have helped to lower the facility's population, and the individual's average length of stay has been reduced from years to a matter of weeks.
Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad announced in January 2015 that he would close Mount Pleasant and Clarinda MHIs that year.
[2] There were plans to develop a "crisis line", which will treat chronic mental health disorders like schizophrenia.
[3][4][5] The architect of the building, Thomas Story Kirkbride, had an inclusive plan for such structures, including the requirement that staff live on or near the premises and that "guests" be assigned meaningful work.