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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Mark Ishaug

Make mental health a priority, and fulfill a promise from 60 years ago

Bracelets given out during a mental health event in 2021. We’re making progress, but more needs to be done nationwide to meet mental health care goals set by the Community Mental Health Act of 1963, the CEO of Thresholds writes. (Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times)

When President John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act of 1963, the landmark legislation fundamentally shifted our country’s mental health and wellness system by prioritizing grassroots, community-centric care over long-term hospital stays that Kennedy recognized as ineffective, inhumane, and unsuccessful in promoting real recovery.

In the years since the Act’s passage, hundreds of thousands of people left institutions and returned to their communities. As October ends, Americans can celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Act.

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