This chapter examines the involvement of state and local authorities, charitable organisations, and hospital administrative and medical staff in institutional mental health care. It argues that these “public” agents played a smaller role than the patient’s private environment. Nevertheless, both institutions, the Dromokaitio to a greater extent than the Eginitio, performed public functions by admitting individuals who exhibited signs of serious illness or uncontrollable or dangerous behaviour in public, or who had no or insufficient private networks of support and control.