Restore the Institutionalization of the Severely Mentally Ill to Alleviate the Homelessness Epidemic

Nearly 50 years ago, the United States had in place a functioning system of hospitals for the mentally ill. State governments managed these hospitals with the goal of protecting both the patients and society at large from the inevitable conflicts between the mentally ill and those who do not understand them. Unfortunately, many of these institutions were poorly managed and state budgets could not keep pace with rising care prices, resulting in the dismantling of these hospitals. We urge the President to shift federal mental health funding toward the revival of large-scale facilities for the mentally ill and away from the ineffective patchwork of 'community mental health centers' that leave far too many mentally ill Americans homeless and without psychiatric support.