Recent mass shootings have turned American attention to the nation’s mental health system, its perceived failings, and it's potential to stem the tide of mass violence. However, Americans have a long history of pointing to mental illness as a panacea for solving social problems and an equally lengthy history of criticizing the treatment of those considered mentally ill. On this episode of History Talk, hosts Jessica Viñas-Nelson and Brenna Miller speak with two experts, Dr. Susan Lawrence and Zeb Larson, to discuss the history of mental health in the U.S. and the realities of providing meaningful care.

Guests:

Zeb Larson - Ph.D. candidate at The Ohio State University and author of "America's Long-Suffering Mental Health System": http://origins.osu.edu/article/americas-long-suffering-mental-health-system

Dr. Susan Lawrence - Professor of History at The Ohio State University, specializing in the history of medicine.

An in-text version of this article can be found at: https://origins.osu.edu/historytalk/mental-health-and-american-society