The development of psychotropic medication in the 1970s made treatment of severe and persistent mental illness in the community possible. (T/F)

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Cannot determine
• D. Uncertain

Answer: (B)

The ability to treat severe and persistent mental illness in the community was enabled by psychotropic medications because these drugs dramatically reduced symptoms, stabilized people, and made it feasible for individuals to live outside of long-term inpatient settings. Although the real breakthrough in pharmacotherapy started earlier—with agents like chlorpromazine in the 1950s—the widespread shift toward community-based care gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s as medications made outpatient management safer and more effective. This combination of effective drug therapy and evolving community mental health services allowed many patients to be treated successfully outside hospitals, which is why the statement is considered true.