A graduate of Cranston High School in 1961, Thomas D. Romeo achieved distinction through a career devoted to human services. He earned the Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State College in 1965 and the Master of Education degree in Rehabilitation Administration from Northeastern University in 1969. He participated in the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the Kennedy School of Government and in the Public Sector Management Seminars at the University of Rhode Island.
He was a staff physical therapist at Fordham Hospital in the Bronx and in the Waterbury Area Rehabilitation Center in Connecticut. He also served as an assistant director and, later, as an associate director in the Division of Rehabilitative Services for the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals.
Romeo was appointed director of the Rhode Island State Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals in 1981, a cabinet level position with full responsibility for operations and management of the single State Authority for Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Drug Abuse and Public Hospital Services.
He was instrumental in developing a voluntary relationship between the State of Rhode Island and Asa Messer School, with its diverse student population that includes children from Southeast Asia and Spanish communities. He was also a volunteer for the Educational Advocate Program through the Department of Education, counseling disadvantaged youth and developing a sound educational program as well as positive social experiences.
Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
The Thomas Romeo Rhode Island Mental Health Papers, Mss. Gr. 246, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, meeting minutes, awards, and realia from Romeo’s time as an administrator for various Rhode Island state mental health agencies. The records cover the years 1975-2007 and include important administrative records documenting the history of the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals and the Institute of Mental Health.
The records are arranged into the following series:
The records were donated and transferred to the University of Rhode Island by Thomas Romeo in 2007.
These materials were originally collected and stored by Thomas Romeo.
The collection was processed by Mark Dionne in 2008.
The series contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, meeting minutes, awards, and realia from Romeo’s time as an administrator for various Rhode Island state mental health agencies. Subjects include deinstitutionalization, substance abuse, Ladd Center closing, and homelessness. There are also records regarding former Director Joseph Bevilacqua’s tenure in office and Romeo’s tenure as Assistant Director. The records also include correspondence with Rhode Island Governors and other state officials, as well as minutes from cabinet meetings.
The series contains memorabilia, awards, plaques, and maps regarding the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals. Items include a green fence artifact (1983) and fragment of the original State Workhouse and House of Corrections (1874), Clinica Symposia (1953-1974), IMH grounds map (1983), citations and certificates.