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In reply to the discussion: My son is schizophrenic. The ‘reforms’ that I worked for have worsened his life. [View all]proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)Geraldo Rivera rose to fame in the 70s, when he won an Emmy for his expose on a state hospital in New York with absolutely horrific conditions.
http://dlib.nyu.edu/undercover/expose-willowbrook-state-school-geraldo-rivera-wabc-tv
That started the momentum to close these hospitals, and President Jimmy Carter was very much on board. In fact, the American public was outraged and very much in favor of reforming the mental health delivery system, which was mainly centered around these state hospitals, which had also become dumping grounds for disabled children who were not served in public schools before 1974.
Reagan pushed 'reform' through but it had been initiated by the Carter administration.
But reform had been long overdue and like so many other things, we went way too far in the opposite direction and ended up with mentally lll homeless people on the streets. So by trying to solve one problem, we created another.