The policy shift known as deinstitutionalization describes moving from long-term hospitalization toward which type of care?

• A. Inpatient hospital care
• B. Community-based care
• C. Private practice care
• D. No change

Answer: (B)

Deinstitutionalization describes moving from long-term hospitalization toward care in the community. This shift emphasizes treating people in less restrictive, community-based settings—outpatient services, community mental health centers, case management, supported housing, and home- or day-program supports—so individuals can live more independently while still receiving needed treatment. It rests on the idea that treatment can and should occur where people live and work, rather than keeping them in institutions; inpatient hospital care represents the old model, private practice care doesn’t capture the broader system of community supports, and no change would ignore the movement itself.