President John F. Kennedy’s Role in Community Mental Health Care

In 1963, John F. Kennedy envisioned a system of care that would allow individuals to seek mental health treatment in their very own communities rather than an institutional setting. With 530,000 Americans living in mental institutions, President Kennedy called for a “bold new approach” to caring for those with mental illness.

President Kennedy requested that Congress enact legislation that would restructure the mental health system to include community-based care. President Kennedy signed Public Law 88-164, which authorized federal funds for the development of community mental health centers.