Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act

Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act

The Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956 (Public Law 84-830) was an Act of Congress passed to improve mental health care in the United States territory of Alaska. It became the focus of a major political controversy after opponents nicknamed it the "Siberia Bill" and denounced it as being part of a communist plot to hospitalize and brainwash Americans.

Background[edit | edit source]

In the early 1950s, Alaska was a territory of the United States and lacked the resources and facilities to care for the mentally ill. Many Alaskans suffering from mental illness were sent to the Morningside Hospital in Portland, Oregon for treatment. However, this arrangement was far from ideal, as it separated patients from their families and communities.

Provisions of the Act[edit | edit source]

The Act provided for the establishment of a comprehensive mental health system in Alaska, including a mental health hospital, community mental health centers, and a mental health board to oversee the system. The Act also granted 1 million acres of federal land in Alaska to the territory for the purpose of generating revenue for the mental health system.

Controversy and Repeal[edit | edit source]

The Act was controversial from the start. Critics, led by the John Birch Society, claimed that it was a communist plot to establish concentration camps in Alaska. These claims were widely circulated and led to the Act being nicknamed the "Siberia Bill". Despite these controversies, the Act was not repealed until 1982, when it was replaced by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

The Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act is considered a significant piece of legislation in the history of mental health care in the United States. It highlighted the need for local mental health services and set a precedent for the use of land trusts to fund these services.