Mental Health Systems Act of 1980
The Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 (MHSA) was legislation signed by American President Jimmy Carter which provided grants to community mental health centers. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan, who had made major efforts during his governorship to reduce funding and enlistment for California mental institutions, pushed a political effort through the Democratically controlled House of Representatives and a Republican controlled Senate to repeal most of MHSA.[1] The MHSA was considered landmark legislation in mental health care policy.
Long title
A bill to improve the provision of mental health services and otherwise promote mental health throughout the United States; and for other purposes.
MHSA
42
Historical background[edit]
In the backdrop of the 1960s and 1970s there was a rise in the community health movement as a response to deinstitutionalization efforts in health care. Coinciding with a movement during the 1970s for rehabilitation of people with severe mental illnesses, the Mental Health Systems Act supported and financed community mental health support systems, which coordinated general health care, mental health care, and social support services.[2] Before this movement gained momentum, mentally ill individuals were often placed in some state run psychiatric hospitals for extended periods, where they received long-term custodial care. [3] The community mental health movement sought to shift the focus of care from institutional settings to community-based services, transitioning from care to community based services, aiming for more compassionate and efficient treatment with the goal of providing more humane and effective treatment for those struggling with their mental health. [4] One pivotal legislation supporting this shift was the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963, also known as the Community Mental Health Act (CMHCA). It provided federal funding for the establishment of community mental health centers (CMHCs) across the country.[5] These centers were intended to offer a range of mental health services, including outpatient care, crisis intervention, and rehabilitation, with the goal of reducing the need for long-term institutionalization.[6] However, by the late 1970s, it became clear that the initial promise of the community mental health movement had not been fully realized. While many CMHCs had been established, they faced challenges in securing ongoing funding and providing comprehensive services to individuals with mental illnesses.[7] The law followed the 1978 Report of the President's Commission on Mental Health, which made recommendations for improving mental health care in the United States. While some concerns existed about the methodology followed by the President's Committee, the report served as the foundation for the MHSA, which in turn was seen as landmark legislation in U.S. mental health policy.[8] In response to these challenges, Congress passed the Mental Health Systems Act in 1980.