History of Mental Health

During the colonial period, through the eighteenth century, neither pauperism nor insanity was a critical problem in society. The mentally ill were considered to be one of several classes of dependent citizens. The colonies accepted the English principle that it was the responsibility of local communities to care for their own and subsequently to the church and local government. Since colonial society was predominately rural, deviant behavior was largely tolerated. In sparsely settled areas, persons …

…on Mental Health and Illness, a private nonprofit corporation, an outgrowth of a planning body initiated by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association and financed in part by Smith, Kline, and French (Foley, 1975). The Joint Commission made its reports to Congress on December 30, 1960. President John F. Kennedy took office a few days later. Shortly afterward, President Kennedy appointed a Presidential Task Force. The Task Force's report to the President resulted in Ken