Mental Health Policy in 20th Century America – Part IV

February 25, 2002 Mental Health Policy in 20th Century America - Part IV The Paradox of Deinstitutionalization Disagreements over national mental health policy were but one development that had major repercussions. Equally significant, States during and after the 1970's accelerated the discharge of large numbers of persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses from public mental hospitals. The origins of "deinstitutionalization" -- a term that is both imprecise and misleading -- are complex. Prior to World War II, responsibility for care and treatment had been centralized in public asylums. Under the policies adopted during and after the 1960s, however, responsibility was diffused . . .