Assignment Question

Essay #3 (Comparison and Contrast) Topic: Write an essay of at least 900 words, describing what mental health care was like in our country in the 1950s and 1960s and how it led to the deinstitutionalization of mental health care in our country, and what mental health care is like today and how the movement started as a noble dream, but ended with many adverse consequences, especially how lack of care and treatment for people with mental illness has contributed to mass incarceration in our country. Please use only statistics from the 3 articles and this writing is based on the three articles. 1) America’s Largest Mental Hospital is a jail by Matt Ford (ATLANTIC) 2) Cost of not caring: Nowhere to go by Liz Szabo (USA TODAY) 3) Locking People Up Is No Way to Treat Mental Illness By Norm Ornstein and Steve Leifman (ATLANTIC) Suggested structure: Introduction – Overview of the topic. Thesis. 100 words. Body 1: What was mental health care like in the 1950s and 1960s? How did deinstutionalization start? What did it want to achieve? In what way was it a success? History review and statistics from Ford. 250 words. Body 2: Why does the author describe the mental health care situation today as worse than it was before? What went wrong with deinstitutionalization? What happened during the Great Recession? Describe one adverse consequence of deinstitutionalization: lack of care and suicides. Examples and statistics from Szabo and Ford. 250 words. Body 3: Describe another adverse consequence of deinstitutionalization: lack of care and incarceration of people with mental illness. Crime of survival, self-medication and perverse incentive. Examples and statiistics from Ford, Szabo, and Ornstein and Leifman. 250 words. Conclusion – Summary of main ideas. Needed policy changes (Ornstein and Leifman) . 100 words. Requirements: State your thesis clearly at the end of your introductory paragraph. Start your body paragraphs with topic sentence. Use examples, statistics, and policy proposals from Ford, Szabo, and Ornstein and Leifman. Quote from the sources in each of the body paragraphs. Follow proper in-text citation format.

Answer

Introduction

The evolution of mental health care in the United States has undergone significant transformations over the decades. This essay explores the history of mental health care in the 1950s and 1960s, the inception of deinstitutionalization, its objectives, its perceived successes, and the subsequent challenges that have led to adverse consequences, including mass incarceration (Ford, 2015; Szabo, 2014; Ornstein & Leifman, 2018).

Thesis Statement

The deinstitutionalization of mental health care, initially conceived as a noble dream in the 1950s and 1960s, has led to adverse consequences in contemporary times, including a lack of care, an increase in suicides, and the alarming mass incarceration of individuals with mental illness.

 Mental Health Care in the 1950s and 1960s

Mental health care in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States was characterized by a starkly different landscape than what we see today. During this period, the prevailing approach to mental health care centered around large, state-run psychiatric hospitals, which housed a significant portion of individuals with mental illnesses (Ford, 2015). The institutionalization of the mentally ill was considered the standard of care, and as a result, these facilities were often overcrowded, underfunded, and ill-equipped to provide adequate treatment and support to patients (Ford, 2015).

One of the prominent features of mental health care in this era was the sheer number of individuals residing in these institutions. In 1955, there were approximately 558,239 individuals living in state mental hospitals across the country (Ford, 2015). This high number reflected the prevalence of institutionalization as the primary method of addressing mental illness. However, these hospitals were frequently criticized for their deplorable conditions, lack of individualized treatment, and human rights abuses (Ford, 2015).

Moreover, the approach to mental health care during this time period often lacked a holistic view of mental health. Treatments were often based on outdated and sometimes inhumane practices, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and lobotomies, which were performed on patients with severe mental illnesses (Ford, 2015). These treatments were sometimes administered without informed consent, leading to ethical concerns and patient rights violations.

The deinstitutionalization movement of the 1950s and 1960s emerged in response to the shortcomings of this system. It aimed to shift the focus away from large, isolated psychiatric institutions and toward community-based care, emphasizing the importance of treating mental illness within the context of a person’s community and support networks (Ford, 2015).

While the deinstitutionalization movement had noble intentions, it ultimately led to both positive changes and unintended consequences in the mental health care system, which will be explored further in subsequent sections. However, it is essential to understand that the mental health care landscape in the 1950s and 1960s was characterized by the institutionalization of individuals with mental illnesses in overcrowded and often inadequate state-run psychiatric hospitals, setting the stage for significant reforms in the years to come.

Deinstitutionalization and Its Challenges Today

Deinstitutionalization aimed to shift the focus from large psychiatric institutions to community-based care, with the hope of improving the lives of those with mental illness. However, as described by Szabo (2014), this transition faced significant challenges. The Great Recession in the late 2000s resulted in drastic budget cuts to mental health services, leading to reduced access to care and an increase in homelessness among individuals with mental illness.

Szabo’s (2014) statistics reveal that approximately 10 million Americans with serious mental illness did not receive adequate treatment, contributing to a worsening mental health crisis. Additionally, suicide rates increased, underscoring the failure of the system to provide adequate care and support.

Adverse Consequences: Lack of Care and Mass Incarceration

One of the most detrimental consequences of deinstitutionalization has been the incarceration of individuals with mental illness. As highlighted by Ford (2015), the lack of community-based care and support has pushed many individuals into the criminal justice system, where they often receive inadequate mental health treatment or none at all.

The phenomenon of “crime of survival” and “self-medication” has become a tragic reality, with many individuals resorting to illegal activities or substance abuse to cope with their untreated mental illnesses. Ornstein and Leifman (2018) point out that the criminal justice system has become the largest provider of mental health care in the United States, a situation that is far from the intended goals of deinstitutionalization.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the deinstitutionalization of mental health care, initiated with noble intentions in the 1950s and 1960s, has resulted in adverse consequences in contemporary times. The lack of adequate care and treatment, coupled with an increase in suicides and the mass incarceration of individuals with mental illness, highlights the urgent need for policy changes. Ornstein and Leifman (2018) suggest reforms that focus on diverting individuals with mental illness away from the criminal justice system and towards appropriate mental health care and support services.

The journey of mental health care in the United States has been marked by significant challenges and unintended consequences. It is imperative that policymakers address these issues to provide better care and support for those in need and to prevent further harm to individuals with mental illness in the criminal justice system.

Reference

Ford, M. (2015). America’s Largest Mental Hospital is a Jail. The Atlantic.

Ornstein, N., & Leifman, S. (2018). Locking People Up Is No Way to Treat Mental Illness. The Atlantic.

Szabo, L. (2014). Cost of Not Caring: Nowhere to Go. USA Today.

Frequently Ask Questions ( FQA)

What was the state of mental health care in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States?

In the 1950s and 1960s, mental health care in the United States primarily involved the institutionalization of individuals with mental illnesses in large, state-run psychiatric hospitals. These facilities were often overcrowded and provided inadequate care.

Why did deinstitutionalization of mental health care begin?

Deinstitutionalization started as a response to the deplorable conditions in psychiatric institutions and aimed to provide more community-centered care for individuals with mental illness.

What were the goals of the deinstitutionalization movement?

The primary goals of deinstitutionalization were to transition from large psychiatric institutions to community-based care, reduce overcrowding, improve the quality of care, and reintegrate individuals with mental illness into society.

What challenges did deinstitutionalization face in recent years?

Deinstitutionalization faced challenges such as budget cuts to mental health services, reduced access to care, an increase in homelessness among individuals with mental illness, and a rise in suicide rates.

How has deinstitutionalization contributed to mass incarceration in the United States?

Deinstitutionalization has contributed to mass incarceration by diverting individuals with mental illness into the criminal justice system due to a lack of community-based care and support. Many individuals end up in the criminal justice system rather than receiving appropriate mental health treatment.

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