Psychology: Institutionalization

Institutionalization

The process of institutionalizing the mentally ill began in the sixteenth century and continues today. New drug treatments, along with overcrowding and bad conditions in some hospitals, has led to deinstitutionalization in recent years. Formerly hospitalized patients are now treated with psychoactive drugs and other therapies in their homes and communities. Community health centers have been designed to provide a variety of services, including short-term inpatient and outpatient care as well as consultation, education, and prevention programs.