in either the 60"s or 70"s geraldo riviera did an expose on the deplorabel
conditions in a mental hospital in new york. was it stoney brook, or what
name of the hospital was it.

Hi,

Stony Brook is a well known college, part of the State University of
New York. There is a hospital of the same name near the college on
Long Island.

The place you are thinking of is Willowbrook - it's since been closed.

The conditions Weiker and his staff encountered resisted change.
Almost a decade earlier, Geraldo Rivera, the provocative young tv news
showman, had caught the country's attention with an expose of similar
conditions at Willowbrook in New York. "Ten years after that we were
seeing the same kinds of things going on," said Morris.
http://www.winfieldcourier.com/Closure/closure01.html

search: history "Geraldo" health institutions abuse expose

Regards,
bcguide-ga

There are 2 books I know of on this topic - both out of print but
might be found in library or online used book sites:
   The Willowbrook Wars by David Rothman
Willowbrook:  A Report on How it is and Why it Doesn't Have to be That
         Way by Geraldo Rivera

The original Geraldo Rivera expose was on ABC in the early 70's