Medical Malpractice

What happened to the patients of closed mental hospitals?

In Epsom there were lots of mental hospitals now closed and the sites sold for housing. Where are the patients now?

Public Comments

1. Shutter Island.
2. It happened, here in OR, too. I spoke to a woman, who once worked in one, and she told me this; "a couple of people are in charge of locating the families (of each patient), they ask the families first if they wish to take their loved one back - if not, then they locate an large empty home (in the same town as the family) and place all patients (from that town or area) in the home with supervising people running the home...sort of like a 'group home' for the patients. And, depending on the level of mentality - some are allowed to roam the streets and some are confined to the home". I guess this sounds like not such a bad option, however, those allowed to roam the streets normally end up causing trouble and then end up in jail. Those, with the least bit of mental issues, are normally are placed in jobs.......those tedious jobs no one else wants (like counting screws, nuts and bolts). Those who end up doing crimes, arrested, convicted and sent to prison. I have a family member (who works at a prison) who tells me "once the mentally ill arrive here - we have to separate them from the other inmates and place them in a special section". To me, this sounds like a mental hospital within the prison walls.............