De-institution
The 1970’s saw a great effort to “de-institutionalize” housing for people incapable of caring for themselves. Closing ‘insane asylums’, for lack of a better description. The grandiose idea was for community based group homes to provide a better setting.
How has that worked out?
This is an issue that deeply affects me. My first born, now 51, was severely autistic from birth. All of my adult life he has required my attention, and finances, to deal with his challenges. NOTE: I don’t ask for anyone’s pity. God gave him to me and he is my responsibility. Case closed.
Who doubts much of the homeless in our communities are individuals with major mental issues?
Acceptance by others is the greatest desire of the mentally impaired. Of that I am certain. The community they fit into today is the drug culture/homeless population.
What are their alternatives?
A decent overview our history of people afflicted with mental illness and developmental issues can be found here. This isn’t light or pleasant reading and will bring out many shouts of, “yeah, but”.
It does illustrate people who recognized the problem and made efforts to come to solutions. To me, that trumps apathy.
I will be blunt. We need ‘insane asylums’ to safely house those who cannot care for themselves or are a danger to others. Policing one or more state institutions will always be easier than scores of private group homes. Advocates, such as myself, can and will raise hell when One Flew over the Cuckoo Nest.
Not one of my usual posts, to be sure.
What brightens my day and eases my burdens.
As always, YMMV
