Institutionalization, or the organized effort for the care of the mentally ill, began in America in the mid-18th century with the Philadelphia Quakers. Our country’s historical efforts towards providing care to the masses of those deemed mentally-deficient is certainly a storied one; now, with an almost infamous air, the concept of institutionalized care seems barbaric to the modern-day citizen. Although its reputation as an uncivilized and inhumane practice precedes it, institutionalization was not always viewed in the unfavorable light with which it is today. Many groups and notable figures throughout American history fought hard to bring the concept of institutionalization to reality, perhaps most notably, Dorothea Dix. However, as the …show more content…
The systematic process involved releasing patients from state institutions back to the community, while reducing and eliminating the number of intakes. The overarching goal of this process, then, was the eventual closure of the institutions. Drugs such as Thorazine, which were found to be effective at treating the symptoms of psychosis, were prescribed in large amounts to many patients, who were then released from hospital care. Clearly, this practice was a cause for ethical concern—much in the same way that patients, while under the care of state institutions, were treated unethically. For example, in a special edition of Rhode Island History which focused on the reputation of state institutions, namely the Dr. Joseph H. Ladd School, Duffy et al. (1981) reported that hospitals seemed to be stuck in a cycle of inhumane treatment, which residents were doomed to endure for decades until the eventual closure of these …show more content…
Although not inherently a polarizing issue, there is much disagreement by the public as to the best way to successfully incorporate the mentally ill and developmentally disabled into the greater community. There is also the very subjective question as to what degree of disability is socially tolerated within the community. Even today, marginalization is still a huge issue for the mentally handicapped and developmentally disabled, as it is with other groups such as minorities and women. However, one thing is clear: all of the studies previously mentioned are in agreement that the mentally disadvantaged deserve equal rights to care and quality of