The effect of deinstitutionalization on the state hospital

Recalling the important statement about the bankruptcy of the state hospital system and the need for a multitude of treatment settings made by Harry Solomon, M.D., in 1958, the authors acknowledge that the changes he prophesized have largely come about. Using the Massachusetts Mental Health Center as the model, they describe how an inpatient unit operates as part of a deinstitutionalized network of services for seriously ill patients. They discuss the five general types of patients admitted and the problems of providing adequate care to such a diverse population. Finally, they make a strong plea for the establishment of regional facilities to care for patients with unusual, complicated problems.