Italian public healthcare service developments and gaps

Italian health authorities have introduced new specialized care initiatives to address specific community needs. In Bari, the ‘Segui l’Onda’ project was launched to provide therapeutic and rehabilitative services, including hydrokinesitherapy and psychiatric rehabilitation, for children and adolescents. Additionally, ASL Roma 3 implemented a multidisciplinary care pathway for sexually transmitted infections to improve diagnosis and treatment times in alignment with the National AIDS Plan.

However, families have reported significant gaps in the public healthcare system regarding long-term support for mental health and developmental needs. In Milan, reports emerged of children with severe autism being discharged from neuropsychiatry units prematurely, leaving parents to manage caregiving duties without professional assistance. Similarly, in Calabria, caregivers noted inadequate transitions from adolescent to adult mental health services, highlighting a lack of national care protocols and an increasing burden on family members.

Recent developments show an expansion of support for neurodevelopmental disorders. In Arezzo, the new TMA 5.0 center is opening to serve approximately eighty young people using the Caputo-Ippolito multisystemic treatment method, which focuses on emotional regulation and reducing social isolation through educational and motor activities. Meanwhile, in the Abruzzo region, the Municipality of Spoltore has initiated a program to establish a catalog of qualified providers for autism-related interventions. Funded by the Single Fund for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, this initiative includes the distribution of individual vouchers worth up to 1,200 euros to help families access summer camps, sports, and socialization programs to promote autonomy.