National Mental Health Plan 2025-2030: Local Care Overhaul

Italy Launches Ambitious Plan to Overhaul Mental Healthcare System

A comprehensive new national action plan aims to address growing demand and systemic shortcomings in Italy’s mental health services, backed by significant financial investment through 2029.

Italy is embarking on a major overhaul of its mental healthcare system with the approval of the National Action Plan for Mental Health 2025-2030 (PANSM). The plan, approved today after months of deliberation, responds to a rising demand for mental health support coupled with a struggling public provision system characterized by dwindling resources and staffing shortages. The initiative seeks to redesign service organization, prioritizing equitable access, continuity of care, and a patient-centered approach.

“The agreement reached is good news for citizens and for the national health service,” declared Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci. “After over 10 years we have updated a strategic document which, thanks to the resources allocated in the 2026 budget, will concretely mark a change of pace. Mental health returns to the center of the political agenda.”

Addressing a System Under Strain

The PANSM acknowledges a critical imbalance between the increasing need for mental health services and the capacity of the public system to deliver them. Recent years have seen a reduction in local services, a decline in staffing within Departments of Mental Health (DSMs), and a contraction in overall service provision compared to pre-pandemic levels. Simultaneously, the complexity of mental health needs is growing, with disorders manifesting at younger ages and a surge in cases of mild to moderate distress often going unmet by the National Health Service (NHS).

A Multi-Year Investment in Mental Wellbeing

To address these challenges, the Italian government is committing substantial financial resources. The 2026 budget law allocates €80 million for 2026, increasing to €85 million in 2027 and €90 million in 2028. From 2029 onwards, an annual allocation of €30 million will be dedicated to implementing the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and assistance actions outlined in the plan. An additional €30 million per year will be earmarked for hiring essential healthcare and socio-health personnel, bolstering support and expanding access to services across the country.

Shifting Towards Integrated and Accessible Care

The core of the PANSM lies in strengthening integrated and inclusive Departments and bolstering local services. The plan promotes interventions spanning the entire lifespan, from perinatal health through adulthood, with a focus on accessibility, equity, inclusion, safety, innovation, and combating stigma. A key tenet is a unified vision of mental health, recognizing it as an integral component of overall wellbeing – encompassing emotional, relational, and social aspects, alongside skills for participation and self-determination. This necessitates moving beyond fragmented models towards an integrated health, social, and educational system.

Strengthening the Network of Care

The plan identifies Departments of Mental Health (DSMs) as central to reorganizing services. These departments will coordinate the entire network, from preventative measures to rehabilitation, ensuring seamless integration between local services, residential facilities, and hospitals. The goal is to standardize access and quality of care nationwide. Furthermore, the reorganization aims to strengthen Mental Health Centers, prioritizing extended hours, easier access, and timely intervention. Flexible, multidisciplinary, and community-oriented models are encouraged, reducing reliance on hospitalizations and improving acute phase management within the community.

Prioritizing Continuity and Vulnerable Populations

A critical focus of the PANSM is ensuring continuity of care, particularly during vulnerable transitions, such as the shift from child neuropsychiatry to adult services. The plan calls for structured pathways between these services to prevent treatment interruptions and patient loss. The relationship between hospital and community care is also being redefined, with hospitalization viewed as a limited, integrated phase of treatment. Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment services (SPDC) will be integrated into a network ensuring continuity before and after hospitalization, reducing the risk of chronic conditions and repeated admissions.

Innovative Approaches to Residential and Forensic Care

The plan also advocates for a review of residential care options, favoring more flexible and temporary models centered on rehabilitation and regaining autonomy. Supported living arrangements are prioritized over long-term solutions that do not promote social reintegration. Recognizing the unique needs of incarcerated individuals, the PANSM dedicates specific attention to mental health within the prison system and forensic settings, strengthening integration between local health services, penitentiary institutions, and the judicial system.

Empowering Patients with Personalized Budgets

A key element of the reorganization is the implementation of Health budgets, designed to facilitate personalized care plans integrating health, social, and community resources. This approach aims to promote housing, employment, and social inclusion, actively involving the Third Sector and local authorities.

Prevention, Education, and Reducing Stigma

The PANSM emphasizes primary prevention and the promotion of mental wellbeing, addressing social and environmental determinants. Initiatives focused on emotional literacy, digital education, and anti-stigma campaigns are planned, with particular attention given to schools, workplaces, and local communities.

Ensuring Safety and Investing in Workforce Development

The plan prioritizes the safety of both patients and healthcare professionals, emphasizing the prevention of adverse events and effective clinical risk management. This includes creating safe care environments, providing specialized training for staff, and implementing strategies to prevent aggressive incidents. Continuous training and research are also underscored, fostering collaboration between universities, research institutions, and local services. A national monitoring system will be established to evaluate the plan’s implementation and address regional disparities.

The National Action Plan for Mental Health 2025-2030 represents a structural reform aimed at shifting the focus from institutions to the individual, creating a more accessible, integrated, and recovery-oriented mental healthcare system for all Italians.