[1letterunixname]

I'm sorry, but you don't appear to know the history of or what you're talking about.

The collapse of mental healthcare in the US was due to JFK admin's hasty transition from institutional to community-based treatment without a functioning parallel system. And, it remained unfinished without a proper replacement because subsequent administrations neglected it.

Reagan finished it off by ruining California's mental healthcare system and then the country's. The Regan's M.O. was to defund or ignore anything they couldn't relate to. How many Americans died needlessly from inaction on HIV/AIDS and manufactured crack epidemic as part of Iran-Contra is up for debate.

As such, in the modern day, many persons who need treatment do not receive it. And those who cannot function are often left to remain homeless and on the fringes.

Interestingly, the Cook County Sheriff's Office (Chicago) admins one of the more effective community mental healthcare systems because it's cheaper than locking people up and throwing away the key or bringing them to the ER every other night. Mental healthcare saves money, saves lives, and saves misery.

[Pigalowda]

I'm sorry you make assumptions on whether or not I know what I'm talking about. Have you ever worked in psychiatric hospital? I have.

What you are referencing is a different type of long term psychiatric facility. The supreme court case is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27Connor_v._Donaldson

Blame Reagan all you want - I couldn't care less.