Deinstitutionalisation
Pronunciation: dee-in-STIT-yoo-shun-al-ih-ZAY-shun
The large-scale policy shift beginning in the mid-20th century that moved psychiatric care from long-stay hospitals to community-based settings.
Full Definition
Deinstitutionalisation describes the deliberate policy and legislative movement that resulted in the closure or downsizing of long-term psychiatric hospitals and the corresponding development of community mental health infrastructure. Originating primarily in the 1950s–1970s across North America, the UK, and Australia, it was driven by advances in psychopharmacology, civil rights advocacy, and fiscal pressures. In editorial contexts, the term appears frequently in policy analyses, historical reviews, and programme evaluations. Editors should note the British/Australian spelling ('deinstitutionalisation') versus the American spelling ('deinstitutionalization') and apply the house style consistently throughout a document.
Usage
Usage note: Confirm house style for '-isation' vs. '-ization' spelling before editing. Do not confuse with 'decarceration,' which relates specifically to reducing incarceration and is used in criminal justice contexts.
In Context
- "The paper traces how deinstitutionalisation reshaped the community psychiatry landscape over four decades." — Academic review article
- "Critics argue that deinstitutionalisation was underfunded, leaving many former patients without adequate support." — Policy brief