Returning the Mentally Disabled to the Community

Government Needs to Do More Gao ID: HRD-76-152 January 7, 1977

Care and treatment of mentally disabled persons in communities can be an effective alternative to institutional care. However, many mentally disabled persons have been released from institutions before sufficient community facilities were available and without adequate planning and follow up. Others enter, remain in, or reenter institutions unnecessarily.

Because federal programs provide the financing, states are encouraged to transfer the mentally disabled from institutions to nursing homes and other inappropriate facilities. There is no overall plan and management system to set forth specific steps to accomplish deinstitutionalization, define specific objectives, define acceptable community-based care, or provide central direction or evaluation. Developmental disabilities programs and community mental health centers programs have not been as effective as expected.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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