What Is Next for Public Health after COVID-19 in Italy? Adopting a Youth-Centred Care Approach in Mental Health Services

Silvia Ussai (), Giulio Castelpietra, Ilaria Mariani, Andrea Casale, Eduardo Missoni, Marco Pistis, Lorenzo Monasta and Benedetta Armocida
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Silvia Ussai: Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Giulio Castelpietra: Central Health Directorate, Inpatient and Outpatient Care Service, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, 34121 Trieste, Italy
Ilaria Mariani: WHO Collaborating Centre, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy
Andrea Casale: Saluteglobale.it Associazione di Promozione Sociale, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Eduardo Missoni: Saluteglobale.it Associazione di Promozione Sociale, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Marco Pistis: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Lorenzo Monasta: Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health—IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy
Benedetta Armocida: Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-8

Abstract: Although endeavours to protect mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic were taken at national and regional levels, e.g., mental support in school, a COVID-19 emergency toll-free number for psychological support, these were sporadic conjunctural financing interventions. In this Communication, the authors conducted a systematic search for programmatic and policy documents and reports with a solid literature and policy analysis concerning the main objective, which is to analyse the appropriateness in implementing gender- and age-sensitive, integrated, youth-centred mental health services in Italy. The Italian National Action Plan for Mental Health reports a highly fragmented situation in the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry services, in terms of an integrated and comprehensive regional network of services for the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of neuropsychological disorders in young people. Wide-ranging interventions, systemic actions should be implemented, funded, and included in an overall structural strengthening of the healthcare system, including those dedicated to transition support services. In this context, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), may represent an opportunity to leverage specific funds for mental health in general, and for youth in particular. Finally, mental health service governance should be harmonized at both national and regional EU levels—with the adoption of best practices implemented by other Member States. This includes, among others, health information system and data collection, which is critical for analysing epidemiological trends and for monitoring and evaluating services, to offer a public and integrated system for the care and protection of young people, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Keywords: mental health; COVID-19; youth; youth-centred care; resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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