Italy extends disability support and adopts therapeutic home detention law

The regional government of Puglia has extended its "Sostegno Familiare" programme until 31 December 2026, securing a monthly €700 benefit for an estimated 5,246 people with severe disabilities or ultra‑senior non‑self‑sufficient individuals. The extension is funded with €14.688 million from the National Fund for Non‑Self‑Sufficient Persons, ensuring continuity while a new measure is prepared for the 2025‑2027 programming period.

A new national law introduces therapeutic home detention for drug‑dependent prisoners. Don Salvatore Saggiomo, the regional guarantor for the rights of detained persons in Caserta, welcomed the reform but warned of insufficient resources. Italy’s prisons house about 20,000 drug‑dependent inmates, roughly a third of the total prison population, with 2,125 in Campania alone. The law aims to treat addiction as a health issue, but funding currently covers only a fraction of the needed therapeutic pathways.