I’ve been reading these comments on institutionalization and my head is spinning. I lived adjacent to a “mental hospital” in Upstate New York in my early years. There was a plot of land - 15 or 20 acres - used for farming vegetables. During the growing season, I would watch the patients come out with the rakes and hoes and work the land.…
I’ve been reading these comments on institutionalization and my head is spinning. I lived adjacent to a “mental hospital” in Upstate New York in my early years. There was a plot of land - 15 or 20 acres - used for farming vegetables. During the growing season, I would watch the patients come out with the rakes and hoes and work the land. They weren’t a harm to themselves or others. One patient would yell up into the clouds “kill that monkey” for reasons known only to himself (???). We kind of chuckled but never worried about him. I’ve mentioned this before in these comments. It went on for years; then suddenly it was gone, the land plowed over and the hospital closed down. What happened to our “kill that monkey” fellow? If incompetent, politically-motivated and money-grubbing bureaucrats, etc. was the source of the horror show, can we do better the next time?
There was a big push in the 1980's to close all mental institutions because they were deemed to be cruel and were expensive to run. I think they turned many out into the streets. The beginning of homelessness.
I’ve been reading these comments on institutionalization and my head is spinning. I lived adjacent to a “mental hospital” in Upstate New York in my early years. There was a plot of land - 15 or 20 acres - used for farming vegetables. During the growing season, I would watch the patients come out with the rakes and hoes and work the land. They weren’t a harm to themselves or others. One patient would yell up into the clouds “kill that monkey” for reasons known only to himself (???). We kind of chuckled but never worried about him. I’ve mentioned this before in these comments. It went on for years; then suddenly it was gone, the land plowed over and the hospital closed down. What happened to our “kill that monkey” fellow? If incompetent, politically-motivated and money-grubbing bureaucrats, etc. was the source of the horror show, can we do better the next time?
There was a big push in the 1980's to close all mental institutions because they were deemed to be cruel and were expensive to run. I think they turned many out into the streets. The beginning of homelessness.
It is my understanding that Reagan did it. I don't know a lot about it but I do remember when that happened.