Innovation in Mental Health Policy; Community Mental Health in the United States of America, 1965–1980

1983 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Smith
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Reagan Administration ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Centers

The Community Méntal Health Centers (CMHC) legislation in the early 1960s was the first real attempt at a national mental health policy in the United States of America. Federal funding was made available for the establishment of 1500 centers across the country. The goal was to provide access to quality mental health care for all US citizens by 1980. As a result of prolonged criticisms, the legislation was repealed by the incoming Reagan Administration in the early 1980s, In this paper, the twenty-year lifespan of this ‘innovation’ in mental health policy is reviewed and an evaluation of some of its most pervasive criticisms are presented.

scholarly journals Community Mental Health Practice in the United States: Past, Present and Future

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-13
Author(s):  
J. A. Hamm ◽  
S. Rutherford ◽  
C. N. Wiesepape ◽  
P. N. Lysaker
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Colonial America ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
The United States ◽  
History Of ◽  
Major Shift ◽  
Mental Health Practices ◽  
Mental Health Centers

Similar to trends in Europe, approaches to mental illness in colonial America and recorded in early United States history were commonly characterized by incarceration and the removal of individuals from communities. In the mid-20th century, a major shift began in which treatment was offered in the community with the aim of encouraging individuals to rejoin their communities. In this paper, we will provide a brief history of community mental health services in the United States, and the forces which have influenced its development. We will explore the early antecedents of community-based approaches to care, and then detail certain factors that led to legislative, peer and clinical efforts to create ‘Community Mental Health Centers.’ We will then provide an overview of current community mental health practices and evolving challenges through to the present day, including the development of services which remain focused on recovery as the ultimate goal.

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