Essay on Homeless and Deinstitutionalization - 914 Words

Homeless and Deinstitutionalization Deinstitutionalization- a term popularized in the mid fifties to early seventies, was an experiment involving the release of some 830,000 mental patients. By reducing state mental hospitals by 60%, this ideology was found very appealing by Liberals due to mental patients receiving their freedom (Website 1). It was also liked by conservatives because of the large amount of money that would be saved by cutting the mental health budget. A very debatable question arises when analyzing this, and the upsurge of homelessness. Is the increase of homelessness due to deinstitutionalization? I believe that homelessness is not a result of deinstitutionalization, but rather in the way it has been†¦show more content†¦First, observations of patients that spend a substantial amount of time in a hospital prove that one develops institutionalism. This is a syndrome characterized by lack of initiative, apathy, withdrawal, submissiveness to authority, and excessive dependence on the insti tution (Website 3). It has also been found that some of these reactions caused by external stimulation are qualities of the disease itself. One of the most important factors, that was disregarded by the simple minded individuals who helped bring about deinstitutionalization, is what left these mentally ill people unable to work, support themselves, cope with community, and ideally make them feel somewhat like a member of the community. These findings definitely support the drift theory, which states that upper class mentally ill will drift downward into lower class neighborhoods. This class transition then increases the rate of mental illness in that neighborhood. Once released from an institution a mentally ill person, without the support of the community and much needed medication, might find themselves feeling very scared and threatened by interactions with the community. This leads us to another problem, which is crime and the mentally ill. About one thousand people in the U.S. are murdered by severely mentally ill people who are not receiving treatment. These killings are about 5% of all homicides nationwide, and help show once again how important itShow MoreRelatedWeek1 PBSfilm Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesadditionally they should be provided with strict supervision and direct assistance to follow up on their mental health. It is assumed those released with a mental illness will follow up on medications and physiatrist services, yet they often end up homeless and non-medication compliant. This sadly initiates a repetitive offending cycle and they return to prison. 2. According to those who work with the prison population, what factors should exist to ensure a successful release from prison? AccordingRead MoreThe Problem Of Mental Illness912 Words   |  4 Pagesrestraints. Once government officials realized that neglect was getting out of control, deinstitutionalization became a hot topic. Deinstitutionalization started as a government policy that became a long-term trend to lessen the burden on professionals in mental treatment facilities. Its intent was to have fewer treatments in public hospitals and fewer people residing in the facilities. The deinstitutionalization movement began in the mid-1950s and government officials were hoping the process wouldRead MoreDeinstitutionalization: An American Travesty Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pageswretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. When Lazarus wrote this poem, she certainly was picturing the country that our forefathers set to establish, with the ambitions, morals, principles, and values that the land of the free was founded on centuries ago. She was not imagining how far we would stray from that path over the years. As a country, we do not do nearly enough in the name of our indigent, our homeless, or our mentally ill. In fact, we have moved drasticallyRead MoreThe Release Of Institutionalized Individuals From Institutional Care1080 Words   |  5 PagesTimeisha Cade Dawn Wright EPY 2533 15 November 2015 Deinstitutionalization Paper Definition of Deinstitutionalization The release of institutionalized individuals from institutional care (as in a psychiatric hospital) to care in the community. Deinstitutionalization is a long term pattern wherein less individuals live as patients in mental facilities and less psychological well-being treatments are delivered in public facilities. This trend is directly due to the process of closing public hospitalsRead MoreHomelessness And Mental Health And Substance Abuse878 Words   |  4 PagesHomelessness as a result of deinstitutionalization in the US increased dramatically, tripling in 182 cities over the court of the 1980s (Bagenstos, 2012). In addition, mental health and substance abuse is a major problem in across the country because of homelessness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness (DMHAS, 2014). Consequently, mental illnesses disruptRead MoreThe Impact Of Mental Illnesses . Mental Illnesses Have1557 Words   |  7 Pagesthe deinstitutionalization of mental healthcare facilities. Many Americans who suffer from mental Illness do not receive treatment, â€Å"Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year. Among adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year† (Nami,org). This lack of treatment can result in violent outbreaks, people harming themselves, and many of the mentally ill ending up being homeless or inRead MoreHomelessness Is The Issue And Problem Of Homelessness1567 Words   |  7 Pages 2012). Broadly defined, homelessness is the lack of adequate, stable shelter (Ogden, 2014). Classifications of homelessness include those who are fall under several categories including a homeless household, chronically homeless, precariously housed, sheltered homeless, rough sleepers and unsheltered homeless (Foster, 2012). The issue and problem of homelessness is and has been widespread throughout the world; different countries address the problem in a variety of ways. Here in the United StatesRead MoreThe Effects Of Today s Media On The Homeless Community Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesThe Effect of Today’s Media On the Homeless Community Brad Jones Cisco College Introduction In today’s society, you see an outstanding amount of homelessness in the streets with no sign of stopping anytime in the near future. These numbers continue to climb with the majority of people blaming it on the homeless individual either being too lazy to get a college (sometimes even high school) degree, too lazy to go and at least try to get a job or a combination of both. With this thought process inRead MoreThe Most Serious Forms Of Mental Illness1142 Words   |  5 PagesMental Illness Deinstitutionalization The most serious forms of mental illness are psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar (manic-depression), which affect the mind and alter a person’s ability to understand reality, think clearly, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, and behave appropriately. People with psychotic disorders may hear nonexistent voices, hallucinate, and make inappropriate behavioral responses. Others exhibit illogical and incoherent thought processes andRead MoreMental Health Issues Of The United States1175 Words   |  5 Pagesshadowed problem in the U.S, has affected millions across the nation. In the United States there are many problems with its mental health service. People with mental disorders are in an inferior area with hospitals being shut down, they usually end up homeless, and sometimes they even end up in prison. Consequently, the U.S pays a large amount of money to go into holding these prisoners who could have been in mental hospitals. In addition to mental h ospitals being closed, some people do not receive treatment