Briefly describe community psychology.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students' examples may vary.

The answer should contain the following information:

An approach known as community psychology aims to prevent or minimize the incidence of psychological disorders. Community psychology came of age in the 1960s, when mental health professionals developed plans for a nationwide network of community mental health centers. The hope was that those centers would provide low-cost mental health services, including short-term therapy and community educational programs. In another development, the population of mental hospitals has plunged as drug treatments made physical restraint of patients unnecessary.

This process of transferring patients who have been hospitalized for long periods into less-isolated community mental health settings is known as deinstitutionalization. Proponents of deinstitutionalization wanted to ensure not only that deinstitutionalized patients received proper treatment but also that their civil rights were maintained.

Unfortunately, the promise of deinstitutionalization has not been met, largely because insufficient resources are provided to deinstitutionalized patients. What started as a worthy attempt to move people out of mental institutions and into the community ended, in many cases, with former patients being dumped into the community without any real support. Many became homeless-between 15 and 30 percent of all homeless adults are thought to have a major psychological disorder-and some became involved in illegal acts caused by their disorders. In short, many people who need treatment do not get it, and in some cases care for people with psychological disorders has simply shifted from one type of treatment site to another.

On the other hand, the community psychology movement has had some positive outcomes. Telephone "hotlines" are now common. At any time of the day or night, people experiencing acute stress can call a trained, sympathetic listener who can provide immediate-although obviously limited-treatment.