Mental Health Ministry Presentation & Discussion

Mental Health Ministry: The History and Future of In-Patient Treatment for the Mentally Ill
Sunday, February 5, at 12pm in the Common Room

The Mental Health ministry invites you to join us for a conversation on the in-patient treatment of the mentally ill. In the 1960s, institutions were largely abandoned in favor of community health centers, which were never adequately funded. Now, the chronically mentally ill often end up in prison or on the streets. New York City has recently started a pilot program to institutionalize the severely mentally ill who are homeless. What should society do with those who need long-term care for mental health? If we decide to start re-institutionalizing people, what should be the criteria for those who do not voluntarily commit themselves? Are there alternatives to institutionalization that might work better? What do we owe people whose mental illness keeps them from taking care of themselves? And how do we keep involuntary institutionalization from becoming an instrument of social control? Peter Coe will talk about the history of institutionalization and the questions it raises for society. All are welcome to attend.