Because Jack Nicholson made a movie in the 70s and the result was Boomers thinking looney bins were cruel, so we closed them.
one flew over the coocoo's nest!
Fyi, it was a little bit more convoluted....States and the FEDs failed us....
Gemini A/I
The closing of public mental institutions—a process called
deinstitutionalization—was not done by a single person but unfolded over several decades due to bipartisan political actions, shifting social views, and medical advancements.
Key figures and the reasons behind the closures include:
*
President John F. Kennedy: In 1963, Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act to move patients out of isolated asylums and into local, community-based care centers.
*
President Ronald Reagan: As Governor of California in 1967, he signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, which restricted involuntary commitments. Later, as President in 1981, he signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which cut federal funding for community mental health centers and shifted the financial burden to the states.
*
The Supreme Court:
Landmark rulings (like
O'Connor v. Donaldson in 1975) established that the state cannot constitutionally confine a non-dangerous individual against their will.
Why they were closed:
1.
Inhumane Conditions: Investigative journalism exposed systemic abuse, severe neglect, and squalor inside state asylums.
2.
New Medication: The introduction of antipsychotic drugs like Thorazine in the 1950s meant patients could manage their symptoms outside of a hospital setting.
3.
Cost Savings: Both federal and state governments wanted to reduce the immense financial burden of running large institutional facilities.
