Deinstitutionalization of Mental Health Services in Rural Areas

While the deinstitutionalization movement in both urban and rural areas has been plagued by problems, the author feels that they are exaggerated in rural communities and are complicated by such factors as the essentially urban nature of the deinstitutionalization model, the unique demographic conditions of rural America, and the lack of anonymity in rural communities. However, rurality also has several advantages for the deinstitutionalization movement, including the existence of a strong sense of community, and the increased opportunity for the therapist to know personally the patient, his family, and his friends and thus to make more humane decisions concerning his treatment.