How were mentally challenged people treated in 1970?

In the 1970s, individuals with mental challenges often faced significant stigma and discrimination. Many were institutionalized in overcrowded facilities where they received inadequate care and lived in poor conditions. Society generally viewed them as incapable, leading to limited opportunities for education, employment, and social integration. Advocacy for their rights began to emerge during this time, laying the groundwork for more inclusive approaches in later decades.