Calabria allocates €10 million for 20 neurodivergence support centers

The Calabria Region has launched a strategic social initiative titled ‘Centri Aperti. Vite Libere’ (Open Centers. Free Lives), allocating over 10.3 million euros to establish 20 multipurpose centers across the region. The program aims to improve access to services for individuals with autism and neurodivergence, particularly targeting young people between the ages of 16 and 40.

Regional Welfare Assessor Pasqualina Straface announced that the centers will be distributed across 20 macro-areas corresponding to socio-sanitary districts. The initiative seeks to move away from fragmented clinical treatments toward a global, personalized bio-psycho-social approach. This model focuses on autonomy, inclusion, employment, sports, and family support to promote the dignity and self-determination of citizens.

The implementation will involve collaboration between local health authorities (Asp), municipalities, and the third sector to ensure services reach both major hubs and smaller inland communities.