The Open Doors project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2007-2012) and involves 13 scholars and activists from a variety of backgrounds in an innovative research project that examines the closure of long-stay mental hospitals in three Canadian jurisdictions: British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia.
During the latter half of the twentieth century, mental health care experienced a transformative shift as patients were released from residential facilities, signaling the end of an era of asylum-based care. There was dissatisfaction with chronically overcrowded and under-funded state institutions, and new pharmaceudical treatments offering compelling evidence that patients could manage their symptoms in the community.
Leaving the asylum, patients entered local communities where reactions from the general public ranged from ambivalence to hostility. Many former patients encountered dismal housing and limited employment opportunities: in urban centres residence was sometimes found in half-way homes or quasi-institutional facilities, while rural options were more limited.
Deinstitutionalization also reshaped the contours of mental health care. Out-patient services increased, individuals and families largely inherited the work of care-giving, social workers assumed a greater role in mental health services, and new community organizations emerged to meet a growing demand for basic services. Consumer and survivor advocates formed politically active communities and support networks, propelling patients and ex-patients concerns into the discourse of human rights.
Our multi-talented team has been investigating the various histories and experiences of deinstitutionalization. The Youth and Mental Health curriculum project is based on resources identified by Open Doors.
Use the left hand menu to find news of project initiatives, team biographies, and links to resources and research in progress associated with this project.
For more information about this project, contact principal applicants:
Megan Davies, York University:
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Erika Dyck, University of Saskatchewan:
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