Homeless
Archive Related Items

Deinstitutionalization's Impact on Mental Health, Homelessness & Mass Shootings

10/26/19
from The Gray Area:
10/26/19:
When you wonder how we got to where we are today with regard to increasing homelessness in major cities, associated decay of those same cities, failure in addressing the mentally ill and increases in mass shootings, the political debate falls far short of any useful insight or solutions. No one talks about the affect of decisions and actions taken 50+ years ago for fear of casting political blame. Some people vaguely remember those actions. Most today have no knowledge of those historic actions and any correlation to today's problems. But, there is a correlation. And, a review of same can offer some ideas for solutions. Deinstitutionalization, Its Causes, Effects, Pros and Cons details the well intended, but misguided actions since 1946.
  • 2.2 million of the severely mentally ill do not receive any psychiatric treatment at all.
  • Nearly half of the total homeless population suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or other war-related injuries.
  • J. Reid Meloy, Ph.D., is a forensic psychologist who studied them found that mass murderers suffer mental illnesses that range from chronic psychotic disturbances and schizophrenia to paranoid disorders. They have the paranoid, narcissistic, and schizoid traits of personality disorders.
  • As states closed hospitals, the centers became overwhelmed with those patients with more serious challenges. Since the mid 70s, less than half of the needed community centers were built.
A summary from the report in The Balance on How Deinstitutionalization in the 1970s Affects You Today follows. Deinstitutionalization is a government policy that moved mental health patients out of state-run "insane asylums" into federally funded community mental health centers. In 1955, the number peaked at 558,000 patients or 0.03 percent of the population. If the same percentage of the population were institutionalized today, that would be 750,000 mentally ill people. Between 1955 and 1994, roughly 487,000 mentally ill patients were discharged from state hospitals. That lowered the number to only 72,000 patients. States closed most of their hospitals. As a result, 2.2 million of the severely mentally ill do not receive any psychiatric treatment at all. About 200,000 of those who suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are homeless. That's one-third of the total homeless population. Ten percent are veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or other war-related injuries. More than 300,000 are in jails and prisons. Three Causes. Three societal and scientific changes occurred that caused deinstitutionalization. First, the development of psychiatric drugs treated many of the symptoms of mental illness. These included chlorpromazine and later clozapine. Second, society accepted that the mentally ill needed to be treated instead of locked away. This change of heart began in the 1960s. Third, federal funding such as Medicaid and Medicare went toward community mental health centers instead of mental hospitals. Pros. Deinstitutionalization successfully gave more rights to the mentally challenged. Many of those in mental hospitals lived in the backwater for decades. They received varying levels of care. It also changed the culture of treatment from "send them away" to integrate them into society where possible. It especially benefited those with Down's syndrome and other high-functioning mental disorders. Cons. Many of those released from institutions were severely mentally ill. They were not good candidates for community centers due to the nature of their illnesses. Long-term, in-patient care provides better treatment for many with severe mental illnesses. There wasn't enough federal funding for the mental health centers. That meant there weren't enough centers to serve those with mental health needs. It also made it difficult to create any comprehensive programs. Mental health professionals underestimated how difficult it was to coordinate community resources scattered throughout a city for those with disorders. The courts made it almost impossible to commit anyone against their will. That’s true regardless of whether it was for the person’s own safety and welfare or for that of others. Deinstitutionalization and Mass Murders. Could deinstitutionalization have contributed to the rise of mass shootings? Since 1976, there have been 20 mass murders a year on average. J. Reid Meloy, Ph.D., is a forensic psychologist who studied them. He found that mass murderers suffer mental illnesses that range from chronic psychotic disturbances and schizophrenia to paranoid disorders. They have the paranoid, narcissistic, and schizoid traits of personality disorders. More From The Balance:


365 Days Page
Archive Related Items
Comment ( 0 )