[buckalfa]

I do not believe Reagan had a hand in it, but rather a series of court decisions before and during his term. Prior to the mid 70's, people with problems were often made to "go away" by their families or the justice system. States maintained institutions to house mentally deficient and the morally perverted, with little or no due process. I believe such decisions have led to many of our social problems we face today, but due process is a good thing. Apology for my lack of HTML ability.

http://disabilityjustice.org/halderman-v-pennhurst-state-school-hospital/

[oldvirginian]

The Kennedy family was also big in getting the unfit for normal life released from the sanitariums.
Seems one of the Kennedy clan, I believe it was Rose, spent much of her life institutionalized for some reason or another.

I vaguely remember the TV ads talking about the Kennedy family “leading the fight to erase the stigma” of being a froot loop.

We are now faced with all manner of dangerous mental deviants who are allowed to rape, murder and commit other crimes at will.
But the Kennedy’s got to feel good about themselves, so it’s all good.