Reagan single handedly emptied the mental institutions when he was governor of California. Congress had nothing to do with it. Reagan said it would be cheaper than housing the mentally ill to just treat them at outpatient clinics. Probably reagans worst mistake.
WRONG....THE national .CONGRESSIONAL BILL WAS UNDER KENNEDY.
Here is the hx of the emptying of State Mental Hosptals—so NO it wasnt’ a “MISTAKE “ Reagen made.
1)At the time, the “insane asylums”—state hospitals were like Cuckoo’ Nest and also increasingly expensive to maintain.
2) During the late 1950’s there were advancements of excellent psychiatric medications for schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorders...these being the illnesses most hospitalized in state hospitals.
3) the move was to move away from committing someone for years, espeicaly with no legal redress..often simply on a family members request. that led to he current Legal commitment of 72 hrs, with a legal review.
4) Initially local MH Centers in every community in the nation were 100% funded by the federal govt. and were able to keep people from the streets...then the feds reduced their payments and the states never picked up the difference.
ITS A NO BRAINER....FUND MENTAL HEALTH AND YU CAN KEEP THE MENTALLY ILL- SERIUSLY MENTALY ILL..In treatment and off the streets and monitored, or in a residential facility fr some time if needed.
all the hysteria about “ crazy people”—put them in hospials and lock them up....Guess what, we can’t afford it...its hilarious when people demand this and they wont even fund a lesser, very adequate mental heath treatment system.
btw-—weve locked up many, many mentally ill-—their in local jails or prisons.
Its not Reagen’s Biggest Mistake. Laughable.