Deinstitutionalization: Part 1 of 3: Pros and Cons

 Pros:

• It refocuses the emphasis on having the same rights for those with mental illness as those with any other illness.

• It started with the option of having care close to home.

• Some people did better in the community with the proper support and services.

Cons

• People were just released from institutions with no plan for follow-up care and no housing, causing them to become homeless or incarcerated.

• Over 30 percent of the homeless population has a mental illness.

• Of the 300,000 individuals in jails and prisons, 16 percent have a severe mental illness.

• Three times as many people are in jails and prisons as there are in hospitals

• Staying compliant with treatment can be a challenge. About 3 out of every 4 individuals who are neuroleptic-responsive become non-compliant with their treatment plan within 24 months of discharge.

• There is an inadequate amount of affordable housing with appropriate support, such as group homes and supervised apartments.

• It costs tens of thousands of dollars to house people in the community with adequate support.

• Some people just don't respond to community-based treatment and need more intensive care to succeed.

  
  

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