Originally published in 1985, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of mental health policy and practice in the USA during the latter part of the 20th Century by focussing on 3 main themes: political-economic structures, the pitfalls of professionalism and institutional obstacles to adequate care.

Part 1: The Crisis in Mental Health Care and the Formation of National Mental Health Policy 1. Current Problems and General Progress in Mental Health Care 2. Formulating a National Mental Health Policy Part 2: The Changing Structure and Organization of the Mental Health System 3. The Neotraditional Public Sector: Community Mental Health Centers 4. The Traditional Public Sector: State Mental Hospitals 5. The New Custodial Private Sector: Nursing Homes, Boarding Homes and Other Locations 6. The New Alliance of Public and Private Sectors: Private Mental Hospitals and General Hospital Psychiatric Units Part 3: Social Aspects of Mental Health Practices 7. Effects of Deinstitutionalization on Public Attitudes and on the Work Force 8. Psychoactive Drugs, Psychotechnology, and the New Biologism 9. Antipsychiatry and Mental Patients’ Rights – Their Impact on Mental Health Care Part 4: Conclusion 10. Future Directions in Mental Health Care.

‘This book is the single best and most comprehensive description of these developments for social scientists. There is wealth of data… clearly presented and intelligently discussed.’ Michael S. Goldstein, Contemporary Sociology‘Highlights problems, difficulties and needs in a way that will interest professional readers, policy makers and the general public.’ Journal of the Institute of Health and Education‘Phil Brown has made the first full-length attempt to analyze the mass exodus of chronic mental patients from state mental hospitals to ‘community settings’…As a resource book on deinstitutionalization, this is the best we have.’ E. Fuller Torrey, author of The Death of Psychiatry‘Should be read by every individual providing a service to psychiatric patients, and particularly by the planners.’ Psychological Medicine