From Asylum to Community: Mental Health Care in Oregon from the 1950s to 2000

Abstract:The question of how to provide mental health services for people with severe mental illnesses predates the founding of the United States. In this research article, authors explore the history of mental health care in Oregon between the 1950s and 2000, specifically the move from providing long-stay hospital care to community care. During this time of evolving health care systems, both nationally and in Oregon, the “lessons learned from the early years of deinstitutionalization foresaw better care.” The authors argue that during the twenty-first century, with its unique challenges, “creating new solutions will certainly require awareness of the historical context and adaptations that built our current system of care.”