What do you think of the idea of mental asylums? Are they wholly outdated or can modern ones be sustained?

Here's a couple news stories about a local one. It was an inspiration for HP Lovecraft and later in Batman comics and films. They also filmed the indie movie Session 9 there.

One is about the hospital before it closed in 1992.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCu-mP3mfs
One is about former patients campaigning to restore the cemetery on the grounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1bgJX93_II

I checked these out after seeing a video about another state hospital. It was one for children which had a number of abuse scandals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRyoHYBebVI

There is also an infamous film about life in yet another local state hospital called Titcut Follies, named after a talent show at the hospital.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titicut_Follies