The Case Against Closing of State Hospitals

The Chronically Mentally Disabled and "Deinstitutionalization"

“…In 1974, having seen its state mental hospital census reduced by 80% in the previous decade, the California state legislature overturned Governor Ronald Reagan's veto of a bill reversing his 1973 announcement of a plan to "phase out" all state mental hospitals by 1982 (49). And in New York State, amidst public outcry over indiscrimi nate dumping of hospital patients, the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene issued a policy statement advising local units to cease discharging patients "unless we can see a real advantage to the patient in growth toward becoming a more responsible human being, and unless an appropriate and implementable plan to facilitate this growth can be made" (55). During the period of rapidly declining state mental hospital censuses, proponents of "deinstitutionalization" practices could point to the expand ing number of psychiatric care episodes being provided by mental health services in the community (50).…”