January 1, 2009

An Overview of the Mental Health System in Italy

This paper intends to evaluate the mental health system in Italy thirty years after the psychiatric reform, using epidemiological evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders and the features of primary care and community mental health services (data from five Regions). The network of community mental health facilities appears to be complete as concerns Residential Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers, and less complete as concerns General Hospital Psychiatric Units. Substantial variation exists between Regions and between disorders, the treatment gap being smaller for schizophrenic than for mood disorders. High quality information is essential to improve mental health care; therefore, it should be systematically collected and extensively used to prime over the next decade a virtuous circle of positive changes.