Presentation Information
[SY-67-02]Deinstitutionalization in Italy: the Trieste model and its complex cultural path to human and social rights
*Donato Zupin2,3,4,1, Goffredo Bartocci2,3,4 (1.DDSM - Mental Health Area-WHO Collaborative Center, ASUGI. Psychiatrist(Italy), 2.Italian Insitute of Transcultural Mental Health(Italy), 3.Transcultural Psychiatry Section, Italian Society of Psychiatry(Italy), 4.World Association of Cultural Psychiatry(Italy))
Keywords:
Deinstitutionalization,Human and Social Rights,Cultural psychiatry,Community mental health
The process of deinstitutionalization in Italy represents one of the most radical reforms in the history of mental health care. Beginning in the early 1970s and culminating in the Mental Health Act (Law 180) of 1978, the Italian movement was not only a clinical and organizational revolution, but also a profound socio-cultural shift. Trieste (Italy) became the most emblematic example of this transformation, where the psychiatrist Franco Basaglia, as the spokesperson for a broader movement of radical critique of psychiatry, helped shape a 'freedom-first' approach to care, grounded in human rights, social inclusion, and community-based services.This presentation will explore the specific historical, cultural, and social factors that enabled such a radical transformation in Trieste. The success of deinstitutionalization was not merely a result of legislative change, but of a broader cultural movement that redefined the relationship between mental health services and civil society. Factors such as local governance, grassroots activism, and a commitment to social rights were crucial in creating an environment where a no-restraint, open-door model could thrive.At the same time, the Italian experience highlights the inherent challenges of sustaining a rights-based approach within shifting political, economic, and institutional landscapes. The presentation will reflect on how social rights—such as access to housing, work, and social participation—are essential to making human rights a concrete reality for people with mental health conditions. By examining the Trieste model within its historical and socio-cultural context, this contribution aims to offer a critical reflection on how the principles of deinstitutionalization can be implemented, maintained, and adapted in diverse global settings.