deinstitutionalization
/diːˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
Definition
The process of moving mental health and disability care away from large, centralized, long-term state facilities toward smaller, community-based housing and support services.
Etymology
The term is formed by combining the prefix 'de-' (indicating removal or reversal) with 'institutionalize' and the suffix '-ation' (denoting a process). It entered common usage in the mid-20th century to describe the policy-driven transition of patients from psychiatric hospitals into community settings.
In the news
The article references the historical shift toward deinstitutionalization following the 1970s Willowbrook scandal to explain why current disability services are now smaller and more dispersed rather than consolidated in large institutions.
Albany Has Let Disability and Mental Health Oversight Boards Wither Away
Read the full article ↗New York Focus