What movement contributed to the release of thousands of mental patients from institutions?

The patient's rights movement played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and freedoms of individuals with mental illnesses. This movement emerged in the mid-20th century and sought to challenge the often inhumane and restrictive conditions experienced by individuals in psychiatric institutions. It emphasized the need for patients to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have autonomy over their treatment decisions.

As a result of this movement, significant changes in mental health policy occurred, leading to the deinstitutionalization of large numbers of patients. Legislative reforms were enacted to protect the rights of patients and facilitate their transition back into the community. This included promoting outpatient treatment options, community-based support systems, and increased awareness of mental health issues.

In contrast, options such as the dehumanization movement, community service act, and medical ethics movement do not have the same direct connection to the mass release of mental patients from institutions. The dehumanization movement primarily focused on how individuals were treated within institutions rather than advocating for their release. The community service act aimed at providing services but did not necessarily lead to a large-scale movement for patient release. The medical ethics movement concentrated on ethical practices within the medical field but did not specifically target mental health policies in the way the patient's rights movement did.