Italy healthcare families report gaps in autism and mental health support

Families in Italy are reporting significant difficulties in accessing and maintaining consistent support from the public healthcare system for children and young adults with severe mental health and developmental needs.

In the Milan area, one mother reported that her son with severe non-verbal autism was discharged from the Neuropsychiatry Unit for Children and Adolescents (Uonpia) at age eight. The facility, managed by the Fondazione Don Gnocchi, informed the family they no longer had useful projects for the child, despite him still being a minor. This lack of support has forced the parent to leave employment to manage caregiving duties.

In Calabria, another caregiver described the challenges of managing a daughter with borderline personality disorder. The family noted that while mental health centers provided some control during her adolescence, the transition to adult services through the Department of Mental Health (DSM) has been inadequate. The caregiver highlighted a lack of clear national care protocols and a systemic tendency to place the entire burden of long-term assistance on family members.