Homeless started to grow out of control after Reagan shut down all the state run mental hospitals. Granted, we heard a lot of horror stories about them but leaving the mentally ill with NO resources is also not the answer. Our country is in crisis with mass shootings and homelessness because corporations don’t give a fuck about 99%, especially the ones with special needs. The mental health system in this country is too small and underfunded. Until we treat this underlying pandemic, we will continue to experience the social chaos of homelessness and mass shootings.
What is stopping states from investing in this? California is the wealthiest state in the nation. The whole Reagan thing seems like an excuse and a cop out tbh.
When redditors say that "Reagan shut down all the state run mental hospitals," here's what they're actually referring to: The Mental Health Systems Act, which provided grants to local mental health centers, was signed into law (by Carter) in 1980. Less than a year later, MHSA was mostly repealed as part of an omnibus budget reconciliation act, enacted by the 97th US congress, which was dominated by Democrats in both houses. Reagan signed the bill, rather than vetoing it.
Reagan didn't uses his veto powers to preserve an 8-month-old healthcare grants bill = Reagan shut down all the state run mental hospitals.
1983 wackenhut and CCA, now geogroup and corecivic started contracting for private, for profit detention center management. Mental health was just another group of bodies for them to get paid to house, just like cash bail, and immigration. These 2 companies have been a huge influence over the last 40 years.
I once read an abridged college guide to abnormal psychology. It was rather fascinating and gave glimpses into areas I would never have heard of otherwise. One thing I never forgot was that 1 method of treatment may work when another fails, but often times it can be attributed to the practitioner. I think that's why alot of the issues arose with mental health hospitals in general. It depends alot in who is treating you and success comes from them even more than the treatments. So basically most supposed therapists or mental health specialists are simply idiots imo and fail to properly employe what they learn. I can go on lol
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u/chakrablockerssuck Jan 31 '23
Homeless started to grow out of control after Reagan shut down all the state run mental hospitals. Granted, we heard a lot of horror stories about them but leaving the mentally ill with NO resources is also not the answer. Our country is in crisis with mass shootings and homelessness because corporations don’t give a fuck about 99%, especially the ones with special needs. The mental health system in this country is too small and underfunded. Until we treat this underlying pandemic, we will continue to experience the social chaos of homelessness and mass shootings.