Truthfully, the entire dream of community mental health had never materialized, and it wasn’t just because states had trouble matching funds and the number of centers available in major cities like Baltimore was limited. The centers had become notorious for focusing their resources on the treatment of patients who had the least severe diagnoses. They welcomed the elderly and adults with high-functioning depression, while those suffering with chronic and untreated illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder continued to cycle from admission to discharge in places like Crownsville. The
...more
