SOCI 136F Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Deinstitutionalisation, Labeling Theory, Mental Disorder
Document Summary
Political-economy perspective- deinstitutionalization was a measure designed to sustain near-bankrupt state governments and establish basis for transferring burden to the private sector. 1969- 56% of elderly with mental disorder were in hospitals, 44% in nursing homes. 1973- 29% in hospitals and 71% in nursing homes: movement of juvenile delinquents from public correctional facilities to public and private psychiatric hospitals. Commitment of young people increased in early 1960s. Most were diagnosed with behavior-based illnesses rather than severe pathology. Structure of insurance payment plans favors transinsitutionalizaton rather than deinstitutionalization: private companies increased benefits for inpatient treatment, medicare/medicaid will only pay for inpatient not outpatient treatment. Guardianship and conservatorship plans that provide for control of people/property deemed not competent due to mental illness favor transistitutionalization: require that person be obtaining care from the least restrictive alternative setting. Government"s community mental health centers failed (didn"t reach sick people and did not solve housing problem for deinstitutionalized), so best alternative is other institutions (transinstitutionaliztion)
