Deinstitutionalization

The process of transitioning disabled people from large, segregated residential institutions to community-based living settings, along with the development of community support services. In the United States, deinstitutionalization gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s driven by economic pressures, advances in psychiatric medication, and growing awareness of institutional abuses. The movement is closely tied to the disability rights and Independent Living movements, which advocate that disabled people have the right to live in the least restrictive setting and participate fully in community life.