| 6th--7th c. | According to legend, beheading of Dymphna, daughter of an incestuous Irish king, and her guardian priest, Gerebern. Evidence of devotion to memory of Dymphna and miracles attributed to her from this date forward. Original worship takes place in small chapel containing relics of Dymphna and Gerebern |
| 10th -11th c. | Spread of word regarding miracles necessitates building of larger church. |
| 1247 | Canonization of Dymphna as “patron saint of demented victims” because she resisted incestuous advances of her father who was believed to be “possessed by the devil” |
| 1248 | First written record of St. Dymphna legend, by Belgian canon Peter van Kamerijk |
| 1280 |
Baron of Geel builds guest house hospital near St. Dymphna’s chapel. |
| 14th c. | Heavy influx of lunatic pilgrims seeking miracles |
| 1349 | Building of present church begun (completed 1749) |
| 1480 | Sickroom built onto church. Pilgrims housed here for nine days of treatment. |
| 1532 | College of 10 clerics established to oversee colony boarding system. Prior to this, church priests provide informal supervision of family care. |
| 1687 |
Church and sick room had been destroyed several times by fire and storm New sick room built to accommodate more pilgrims; divided into four rooms with small dark cell in each.. |
| 1797 | French revolution results in closing of church by French government. Many pilgrims still come to Geel. Received by private individuals |
| 1803 | Since boarders remain in Geel, legislation requiring inspections passed but Geelians object to interference |
| 1811 | French Minister of Justice decides to abolish family care in Geel but, due to delaying tactics by local government, decision never acted on. |
| 1815-30 |
Belgium is part of United Kingdom of Netherlands |
| 1821 | Etienne Esquirol, student of Phillipe Pinel, visits and writes Des Maladies Mentales. Criticizes program due to lack of: 1) medical staff, 2) therapeutic environment of hospital, and 3) moral treatment regimen |
| 1832 | In context of new Belgian legislation requiring every municipality to take charge of their own mentally ill, four doctors nominated to oversee medical needs of mentally ill pilgrims. |
| 1838 | Organization of family care in Geel comes under local government |
| 1850 |
National Mental Illness Law passed in Belgium intended to protect patients as well as Belgian population. Article 6 of law finally included to recognize family care. Accommodation in family care given same legal status as admission to normal psychiatric institution |
| 1852 | Administration of colony taken over by state. Program formally designated as Rijkskolonie (State Colony) and Medical Director named |
| 1862 | First inpatient facility built. Used for entry examination, treatment of somatic problems, and rehospitalization when problems with foster family developed |
| 1875 | Law passed to forbid acceptance of patients into sick rooms of church. Law not actually executed until 1881 when last patient stays in church |
| 1885 | Psychiatric hospital of Lierneux (in province of Liège) founded for French speaking patients of Geel |
| 1922
|
Division for mentally handicapped children founded |
| 1935 | Original church converted to museum |
| 1936 |
Visit to Geel by: Charles D. Aring, Cincinnati neurologist. Results in 1974 JAMA article, most often cited in American psychology textbooks |
| 1948 | Mental health care, including the Rijkskolonie, transferred from Ministry of Justice to new Ministry of Public Health |
| 1960 | Drs. Matthew Dumont and Knight Aldrich, University of Chicago, spend two weeks in Geel and are disturbed to discover diminishing patient population |
| 1961 | Dumont and Aldrich present findings at 117th annual meeting of American Psychiatric Association in Chicago (presentation published in American Journal of Psychiatry in 1962) |
| 1962 | Dr. Viola Bernard makes first contacts with officials in Belgium |
| 1963 |
Geel
native, Dr. Jan
Schrijvers, a Belgian psychiatrist, recruited for training in Columbia
University Division of Community Psychiatry “Hospital Law” gives existing, old, psychiatric institutions status of normal hospitals |
| 1965 |
Division for mentally handicapped children removed from Geel Colony |
| 1966 | Dr. Leo Srole, Columbia
University sociologist, visits Geel and agrees to design and direct
Geel Research Project Grace Foundation, Inc. and Family Care Foundation for the Mentally Ill, Inc. formed by John Moore, President of Grace Line and father of mentally ill daughter, provide funding for summer research project |
| 1967
|
NIMH grant to Dr. Srole for pilot study of Geel Family Care |
| 1968 | “Geel, Belgium: The Prototype Therapeutic Community,” presented to American Psychiatric Association by Dr. Srole |
| 1970 | Presentations on Geel and
Geel Project presented at: Flemish Psychiatric Association, World
Federation of Mental Health, VII World Sociological Congress Dr. Srole’s first letter to Belgian Minister of Public Health recommending: increased Colony staff, increase in financial support of Colony professionals and foster families |
| 1970-78 | NIMH grant awarded for 3 year project, “Geel Foster Family Care Research Project”; project extended to 5 years w/out add’l funding and 3 more years w/ some supplemental funding (Other funding during life of project from: N.Y. State Psychiatric Institute, Belgium Ministry of Health, Leuven University.) |
| 1974 |
Dr. Srole proposes, to Belgian Health Minister, Geel Research Project II as empirical test of Geel Project recommendations |
| 1975 | International Symposium on Foster Family Care held in Geel in May in conjunction with St. Dymphna celebration (held every five years). |
| 1976 | Dr. Srole takes on Emeritus
status at Columbia University; Sidney Malitz, M. D. becomes
investigator of record for grant Dr. Srole presents “Geel, Belgium, The National Therapeutic Community: 1475-1975" to Kittay Foundation International Symposium on Community Mental Health |
| 1978 | Dr. Srole submits chapter and
intro for Geel book to Basic Books; receives contract from same. Dr. Srole presents Geel paper at IXth World Sociological Congress |
| 1979 |
Publication of Mental Patients in Town Life: Geel - Europe’s First Therapeutic Community written by Dr. Eugeen Roosens, head of anthropological team. |
| 1987 | Irene Zola, writer, hired to write up research on Geel Family Care Program |
| 1987-88 | John Moore provides additional funding for Dr. Srole’s work on Geel Project Monograph |
| 1991
|
Rijkscolonie and Lierneux (see 1885) attain autonomous status as Flemish Public Institute subject to Belgian hospital laws. Entire system now referred to as Openbaar Psychiztrisch Ziekenhuis Geel (OPZ, Public Psychiatric Hospital of Geel) |
| 1993 | Dr. Leo Srole dies at age of 85 |
| 1997 |
Dr. Jan Schrijvers assigned as Director of OPZ Dr. Srole’s papers archived at Hobart / William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY |
| 1998 | Dr. Viola Bernard dies at age of 91. In October, papers, including two boxes related to Geel, archived at Columbia University’s Health Sciences Library as of |
| 2000 | May 19-20, International Symposium, Congress 2000, Geel; September, Dr. Schrijvers retires, Jan van Rensbergen assigned as Director of OPZ |
| 2004 |
November: completion of new adult care hospital; currently four hospitals for 1) adult care, 2) adolescence, 3) geriatrics, 4) rehabilitation, including foster family care services |
| 2005 | May 12-13, Geel Congress 2005, Balanced Care: Innovative Perspectives on Psychiatric Rehabilitation |
| 2006 | February: Director van Rensbergen resigns for new post outside of Geel; nursing director / hospital manager Hans Verbiest assumes position of temporary director |
| 2007 | July: Pieter Jans assumes duties as new OPZ director; formerly director of Belgium's SYNTRA Flanders, Flemish organization involved in education and training of self-employed people. |