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6500 BCE
6500 BC - Earliest Evidence of Treatment - A Supernatural Theory
Trephination, or drilling a hole in the skull, is used to treat mental illness (Restak, 2000). Mental illness during this time was often attributed to supernatural theories (Farreras, 2020). Trephination was used to release evil spirits that were believed to be trapped in an individual's skull (Restak, 2000). -
1900 BCE
1900 BC - Somatogenic - Mental Illness Thought to be Linked to Movement of Organ
Mesopotamian and Egyptian papyri describe women who had mental illness to a "wandering uterus" thus using strong smelling substances to direct the uterus back to its proper location (Farreras, 2020). During this time, mental illness was perceived to have an organic or cellular origin (Scull, 2020). -
400 BCE
400 BC - Hippocrates
Hippocrates classified mental illness into the following categories: Mania, Melancholy, Phrenitis, Insanity, Disobedience, Paranoia, Panic, Epilepsy, and Hysteria -- (Kleisiaris, Sfakianakis, & Papathanasiou, 2014). This was shift from using supernatural explanations to using biological explanations to explain mental illness. Hippocrates connected mental illness with the brain (Kleisiaris et al., 2014). -
1202
Middle Ages - Supernatural Theories Dominate Europe
Beginning in the 11th (year 1001) century, and by 1202 (13th century), individuals who were mentally ill began to be persecuted as witches who were deemed to be possessed (Farreras, 2020). Witch hunts began in which the "guilty" were burned at the stake. Witch hunts continued until the 18th century. Individuals who were mentally ill during this time were "treated" with the use of exorcisms, prayers, and religious ceremonies (Scull, 2020). -
1346
St. Mary of Bethlehem -- Bedlam
The City of London takes over St. Mary of Behlehem and began specializing in 'madness' (Farreras, 2020). Most of the individuals within the hospitals and asylums were held against their will. They were subjected to inhuman treatment and were at times put on display as the hospitals and asylums were open to public viewing. Treatments for 'madness' were similar to the treatments that were used for physical illnesses (Farreras, 2020). -
1563
Johann Weyer
Physician Johann Weyer wrote "De Praestigiis Daemonum et Incantationibus ac Venificiis" which argued against the idea of witches. He provided another theory that women were actually suffering from mental illness due to disease and/or faulty metabolism (Scull, 2020). -
Reginald Scot
Reginald Scot, who was an English parliamentarian, wrote The Discoverie of Witchcraft which also opposed the idea that witchcraft existed (Scull, 2020). -
Humanitarian Reforms
Vincenzo Chiarughi outlaws the use of chains at his hospital in Italy. These chains were previously used to restrain psychiatric patients. He continued to advocate for moral treatment for patients throughout his career (Micale, 1985). -
York Retreat
The Retreat was founded by WIlliam Tuke in 1792 and opened in 1796 in England. The Retreat was found on and upheld the moral obligation to treat all guests with respect and dignity, provide individualized attention to each guest, and provide support to increase self control and improve self esteem (Bell, 1980). In addition, one of the earliest introductions to occupational therapy occurred at The Retreat (Bell, 1980). -
Continued Efforts Towards Moral Treatment
Philippe Pinel and Jean-Baptise Pussin called for moral treatment to be extended to all patients in two hospitals in Paris, France. Moral treatment included included banning the use of chains, increased freedoms to well-lit areas, banning physical punishment, etc. (Micale, 1985). These changes were implemented at the first hospital in 1793 and at the second hospital in 1795. -
First American Textbook on Mental Diseases
Benjamin Rush wrote the first American textbook on mental diseases titled "Medical Inquiries and Observations Upon Diseases of the Mind." He believed that treatments such as blood-letting, tranquilizer chairs, hot and cold baths, purging, etc. were the answer to curing mental illness (Farreras, 2020). -
Humanitarian Reforms Continue throughout France
Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol, student of Pinel, is the main developer of the national law that departmentalized asylums for all French mental patients who were in need. Prior to this, Esquirol visited many institutions around Frace and brought knowledge to governing bodies of the inhumane treatment of mental patients (Micale, 1985). -
First Residential Facility for Children with Intellectual Disabilities is Founded
Johann Jacob Guggenbuhl established the first known residential facility for children with Intellectual Disabilities. Guggenbuhl believed that nutrition, fresh air, and exercise were the key to curing individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (Merrick, Uldall, & Volther, 2014). -
Dorothea Dix - Advocate for Moral Treatment
Due to overcrowded and understaffed asylums, Dorothea Dix advocated for the establishment of state hospitals after observing the neglectful conditions individuals living in asylums were facing. She assisted with establishing over 30 mental institutions in the US and Canada. While she was successful with this at the state level, she was unable to secure federal funding for asylums (Farreras, 2020). -
Jens Rasmussen Hubertz Conducts One of the First Studies
Jens Rasmussen Hubertz, a Danish physician, conducted and published one of the first studies on insanity, intellectual and developmental disabilities (Merrick, Uldall, & Volther, 2014). Later, he established the first Institution in Denmark for children with Intellectual Disabilities in 1855. -
Virgina's Sterilization Act of 1924
Claiming to protect the "American Race," Virginia passed the Virginia Sterilization Act which allowed inmates of any state institution to be sexually sterilized. -
Buck V. Bell
US Supreme Court Case that upheld the decision to sterilize inmates of public institutions. The court argued that imbecility, epilepsy, and feeblemindedness were hereditary traits that should be prevented from being passed down to the next generation (Antonios & Raup 2012). -
Social Security Act
Signed into Law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Social Security Act of 1935 pushed states to make more adequate provisions and increased protection rights for individuals that were disabled. -
The Association for Retarded Children
The association is founded in 1953. This organization advocates for individuals with disabilities. The organization changed its name as follows to become more sensitive to those with intellectual disabilities:
1973 - Association for Retarded Citizens
1981 - Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States
1992 - ARC of the United States -
Brown V. Board of Education Opens the Door for Individuals with Disabilities
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that opened the door for those fighting for the equal rights of individuals with disabilities. Brown v. Board of Education ruled it unconstitutional for public schools to segregate students based on their race. The same claims of violating the constitutional rights under the equal protection clause listed in the 14th Amendment were made by advocacy groups fighting for students with disabilities (Yell, 2019, p. 41). -
Community Mental Health Act of 1963
This Act passed was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. This altered the delivery of mental health services and lead to institutionalization of mental health facilities. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs ESEA into law which provides funds for primary and secondary education and emphasizes accountability and quality education for all. -
Mills v. Board of Education
Mills v. Board of Education expanded on the rulings made in PARC v. Pennsylvania by extending to state that students with other disabilities pertaining to behavioral, mental, physical, and/or emotional disabilities were unable to be denied a public education (Yell, 2019, p. 42). In addition, Mills v. Board of Education found that lack of funds was not an acceptable reason to exclude students with disabilities from accessing education (Yell, 2019, p. 42). -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Pennsylvania
PARC v. Pennsylvania was a class action suit that in which the argument was made that students with mental retardation were not receiving publicaly supported education which violated their 14th Amendment rights. The outcome of this case that children ages 6-21 with mental retardation must be provided a Free Appropriate Public Education in similar programs as children without disabilities. -
Section 504
Section 504 states: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States… shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance….” -
The Education for All Handicapped Children's Act (EHA)
The Education for All Handicapped Children's Act mandated a Free Appropriate Public Education within the Least Restrictive Environment for all children with disabilities. The EHA title is changed to IDEA in 1990. -
Amendment made to Social Security Act
The Social Security Act of 1935 was amended in 1988 to allowed payment for services for children and youth with disabilities even if the services were provided in their special education programs. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The ADA provide equal rights and protections to individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, and government services. The ADA also prohibits discrimination based on disability. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997
IDEA was structured into four parts to further ensure that individuals with disabilities had equal access to the general education setting (Yell, 2018, p. 59). These important amendments increased and specified the rights afforded to parents of, and individuals with disabilities to receive FAPE. Thus, school districts were required to provide students with disabilities an individualized education while maintaining their access to the general education setting and curriculum. -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was reathorized by No Child Left Behind. NCLB increased accountability for school and allotted Title I provisions for disadvantaged students. -
Federal Definition of Intellectual Disabilities
…means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Until October 2010, the law used the term “mental retardation.” -
Rosa's Law
President Barack Obama signs "Rosa's Law." This removed and replaced the term mental retardation and mentally retarded with intellectual disability. This was a stepping stone for people first language demonstrating that disabilities do not define individuals. -
IDEA - Addition of Every Student Succeeds Act
Congress states, "Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities."
