Deinstitutionalization of chronically mentally ill individuals from public psychiatric hospitals increased the number of homeless persons. The original goal of deinstitutionalization was to:
A) Reduce state costs of caring for the chronically mentally ill
B) Replace large state psychiatric hospitals with community-based treatment programs
C) Modernize psychiatric hospitals
D) Allow mentally ill persons to live on their own to test their life skills

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The original goal of deinstitutionalization was to replace large state psychiatric hospitals with community-based treatment programs. However, the implementation of deinstitutionalization policies resulted in many individuals with mental illness being discharged from these hospitals without adequate support or resources to reintegrate into society, leading to increased homelessness. While reducing state costs may have been a factor in the decision to deinstitutionalize, it was not the primary goal. Modernizing psychiatric hospitals and testing life skills were also not the primary goals of deinstitutionalization.

Deinstitutionalization of Chronically Mentally Ill Individuals from Public Psychiatric Hospitals