We see those guys all the time. I'm not sure how accurate those documentaries are; the mass closing of psychiatric hospitals was primarily a product of the Community Mental Health Act of 1963 (as mentioned in the article). The intent was good (get people out of poorly run institutions), but had some serious unintended consequences. Although some people could be managed in the community, most communities have not funded clinics adequately and as a consequence many mentally ill people are on the street or incarcerated.