How The Loss Of U.S. Psychiatric

How The Loss Of U.S. Psychiatric Hospitals Led To A Mental Health Crisis

The evaporation of long-term psychiatric facilities in the U.S. has escalated over the past decade, sparked by a trend toward deinstitutionalization of mental health…

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 This is so true, I was working as a counselor at Napa State Hospital in the 90's, when they could not get state/federal money for a "mental hospital". To get funded, they had to change it to more of a prison for the "criminally mentally deranged." It would have made me more of a guard, so I quit. I was working in an unlocked transitional lodge, and they could come and go. It would make the patients more paranoid if they were locked up. This hospital was already famous for starting the homeless problem, when Reagan, in a money saving act, forced hundreds onto the street. His wife Nancy thought that starting community-based mental health programs would solve the problem, however, that did not work, as, like most HMOs, they were set up as profit-making. Therefore, many patients, not having enough income became homeless.😒Then it was Vietnam vets, who had PTSD, but they did not know what that was back then, so that just multiplied the mentally ill homeless.

Evelyn Leonard Wright Yep, the start of our mentally ill becoming a huge percentage of our homeless in America.Ajike Williams Yes, this is a massive problem here in NEW YORK, ITS SO HEART BREAKING, SAT AFTER MY SHOPPING AS I HEADED TOWARDS THE SUBWAY, I PASSED SEVERAL HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND SNOW WAS APPROACHING I THOUGHT TO MYSELF WHERE WILL THEY GO TONIGHT, IT IS HEARTLESS. EVERYTHING THE GOP DOES IT HAS TO BE ABOUT PROFIT AND MONEY. AND, AMERICA IS SUPPOSE TO BE THIS HIGHLY CIVILIZED VERY DEVELOPED COUNTRY, I have traveled to Third World countries, I went to University in Dakar Senegal and the University Of NIGERIA AND l have not seen those countries treat their people with such malice as America does. Very sad.

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Suzanne Lynn Huffman Indeed! We as a society dumped patients without developing a patient-centered continuum of care. Oh yeah, we had some opportunist organizations like one where I worked as a therapist. Shelter plus care, day center, rep payee... You know where those who couldn't get with the program and be well behaved professional clients wound up. And VA??? Don't let this widow of an infantry medic incountry 1967-69 get started!

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Ron Alexander Wow, my dear Brother Barry was killed over there in 1969 as a helicopter pilot, who preferred to fly medivac. He had just turned 22 and was killed Sept. 22 with only 2 weeks. I was not in Vietnam because of him, and I ran a lab in Alaska. I have an awa...See More

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Suzanne Lynn Huffman Ron Alexander I am so sorry about your brother, and feeling chills of recognition. One of my hubby's worst flashbacks was about his chopper pilot being blown out the the sky, and him having to retrieve what little there was to identify his brother-in-arms. He almost re-upped to keep his biological brother from having to go, but the one son rule was apparently re-instituted at the last minute. Gar served in 2nd of the 8th, US Army. I have been to the Wall and prayed for all the men he tried to save and mourned until the day he died. We got shitty service from VAMC Memphis in 1996-97, but I was glad to pick him up early once on the basis of an MD who was honest with me: "We know you'll take care of him and we need the bed for veterans who are homeless." I'll look for your Youtube and maybe we can talk later.

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Ron Alexander oh, I suffered badly with grief and survivor's guilt for years.Manage

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Ron Alexander I have been to the wall, but this showed up mysteriously on USA today this past Dec.Manage

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Robyn Summers-Shelley The same thing has happened here in Australia 🇦🇺 Ron. This is so tragic, community housing has not worked, and people are homeless and living on the streets. More money and services needs to be projected into Mental Health. I live in a 1st world country, but I doubt this a lot when there is so much homelessness and poverty in our country. Greedy politicians, self centred and there to prop up there own millions.

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Ron Alexander You have seen my YouTube about Barry haven't you dear Robyn?

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Ron Alexander Dog Tags and Bodybags, a tribute to CWO Barry Alexander.

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Suzanne Lynn Huffman Ron Alexander found it, watching now God bless!

Ron Alexander Brings up tears just thinking about him...Manage

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Robyn Summers-Shelley And so many of our returned servicemen are living on the streets. 😥😪

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Tori Ray Roush I started a program for homeless vets at an apartment complex I worked at one time. I worked closely with the VA to find them homes. (not sure if the complex continued the program after I left) It was one of the highlights of my life

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Tori Ray Roush I'm glad he failed. I was able to get only a couple of the Vets approved (even with the lowered requirements) but was excited to learn about the VA program that has small housing neighborhood for them. If I could remember the name of them, it's where I would volunteer.

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Tori Ray Roush My dad was a Vet. (Air Force). He died from cancer (due to agent orange) when I was 11. My stepdad also served (Navy). Very proud to come from a military background. It has helped me in life.

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Ron Alexander Interestingly, my nephew Barry appeared at my doorsteps last year as homeless just out of jail. He is a vet. so I got him in the program at the VA and they got him clothing food and shelter in a few hours time. Also, he had to participate in a 12 step program, graduated and actually got a "trial" job at the VA as an "orderly".

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Tori Ray Roush The VA is wonderful at helping Vets make a new start. ❤️

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Ron Alexander Where I work at the VA in Charleston, it is a 5 star hospital, the highest rank available. Sadly some of the VAs go down as low as 1 star.