O'Berry Neuro-Medical Center

The O'Berry Neuro-Medical Center is a public hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina owned by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Its original goal was to help the mentally retarded achieve independence by teaching them self-help skills and productive vocations. It has recently expanded its focus to include those who are either elderly or medically fragile along with having an intellectual disability.

The facility now serves a 23-county South Central Region and handles 430 clients. It is one of three Neuro-Medical Treatment Centers in North Carolina, the others being Longleaf (formerly Wilson) and Black Mountain. O'Berry's director since 2005 has been Frank Farrell.

History

The facility traces its origins to a commission created in 1943 by Governor Joseph Broughton to study the "condition, care, treatment and training" of black mentally retarded citizens at Goldsboro State Hospital (now Cherry Hospital). The facility opened in November 1957 with 150 black mentally retarded clients. It desegregated in 1966.

Sources

• Official webpage at North Carolina Division of Mental Health
• Phyllis Moore "O'Berry gets set for 50th anniversary celebration". Goldsboro News-Argus. .