Milano: four million euros to finance 4 projects dedicated to mental health for various age groups and social backgrounds
Support towards autonomy dedicated to citizens with psychiatric pathologies, homeless people, prisoners leaving prison and adolescents
Milano: four million euros to finance 4 projects dedicated to mental health for various age groups and social backgrounds.
To support the life paths of the people with mental health problems and affirm the principle according to which 'there is no health without mental health', the Municipality of Milano has financed, with approximately 4 million euro of European funds from the PN METRO PLUS programme, four projects for the three-year period 2024-2026, involving, through two co-designs, the Third Sector in the structuring and implementation of the activities.
“In Italy, especially in large urban centres – declares Welfare and Health councilor Lamberto Bertolé – the gap of inequalities has widened more and more, creating strong disparities in access to healthcare options. For this reason, cities, despite not having direct expertise in healthcare matters, can and must be involved in building solutions. Milano has chosen to be the protagonist of this journey through the promotion of initiatives such as Milano4mentalhealth and the allocation of a significant portion of resources to the theme of mental health, proposing an alliance with other institutions – starting with ATS and ASST – and the Third Sector to imagine interventions and projects that are as close as possible to the reality and needs of citizens. The method is that of discussion panel, because we do not want to be simply providers of resources, but to build meaningful projects together that are widespread in the Municipalities. We hope not to be left alone in this challenge and we ask the health system for an increasingly strong and effective response”.
The funded projects
'R3 – together for recovery' plans to involve, over the course of three years, more than 1.200 people – citizens with acute psychiatric pathologies and who have not been hospitalised in recent months – with the aim of combating chronicity of mental health problems, promoting their protagonism in the realization of their life project for full inclusion. In 2024, 52 reports were already received, including people with psychosis (42,5%), mood disorders (30%), personality disorders (22,5%) and eating disorders (5%). The paths can concern the area of housing and home care and educational support, the area of work with access to training opportunities and that of the inclusion of people leaving a period of detention.
The project, financed with 2,2 million euros, also provides for the connection with the mental health departments of the city hospitals that have the patients in charge and with the public and private entities in the area that deal with this issue: from Celav – mediation centre to the work of the Municipality of Milano to the Lombardy Region and Metropolitan City, from Third Sector associations to accredited agencies.
I Partner of this project will be Consorzio Sir, Associazione Aiutiamoli ODV, Fondazione Casa della Carità, Associazione Contatto, Crea, Fondazione Aiutiamoli, Comunità del Giambellino, Giardino degli aromatici, Cooperativa Lotta contro l'emarginazione, Proges, Progetto Itaca, Seriana2000, Zuccheribelli, Ripari, Sociosfera, Prossimità.
The project 'The Art of the Possible', financed with 225mila euros, is dedicated to people with mental distress and poor work experience. The aim is to enhance and improve their knowledge through training courses and internships. It is expected to involve up to 280 users reported by social and health organizations. The area of intervention will be that of Municipalities 2, 5 and 9, with the neighborhoods of Comasina, Quarto Oggiaro, Bovisa, Affori, Dergano, Gratosoglio and via Padova.
The project partners will be La Fabbrica di Olinda, Il centro servizi formazione, Gruppo di Betania, Magma, Sinapsi.
It is confirmed and made structural, with funding of over one million euros, 'Welcome Me', the project dedicated to girls and boys between 14 and 18 years old and their families, with the aim of offering psychological guidance inaddress the difficulties that characterize this particular phase of growth and, if necessary, direct users towards the city's network of specialist health, educational and recreational services.
In the two-year period 2022-23 AccogliMi has reached 3 thousand teenagers and 500 parents with individualized listening and support interventions, through dedicated communication channels, peer education paths in schools and orientation to local resources.
The project partners are Minotauro, Comin, Diapason, Comunità Nuova, Ceas, Zero5, Nivalis, Cooperativa Lotta contro l'emarginazione, Proges, Associazione Aiutiamoli ODV, Progetto Itaca, Fraternità e amicizia, La fabbrica di Olinda, Magma, Sinapsi.
The fourth project is 'Boundless', financed with 440 thousand euros of funds European and dedicated to homeless people or people at risk of serious marginalization who suffer from mental distress. The aim is to provide professional and specialized support to assist the socio-educational teams that deal with those who live on the streets. It is planned to involve up to 120 people. The project partners will be Grt Italia, Progetto Integrazione, Giardino degli profumi, Cooperativa Lotta contro l’emarginazione.
Thanks to exclusively municipal resources, other interventions are in place to help citizens with mental health problems: 530 thousand euros are dedicated to covering the social quota for light residential interventions, 241 thousand euros concern specialized home care, 93 thousand euros for home meal delivery and other resources are allocated to provide contributions to support therapeutic paths.
Milano4mentalhealth, the initiative of the Municipality of Milano which aims to place mental health at the centre of social and political debate, this year is expanding on a national scale: Milano, as president of the WHO Healthy Cities Network, has in fact promoted the involvement of several Italian municipalities which, under the hat of "Everyone4mentalhealth“, will organize similar initiatives in their territory during the month dedicated to mental health.
“The Everyone4MentalHealth campaign – explains Alberto Siracusano, coordinator of the ministerial technical table for mental health – is a very valuable initiative, which promotes a culture of mental health aimed at overcoming stigmas and prejudices that are still too widespread. Providing correct information and encouraging dialogue with experts and professionals is essential to change perceptions and demonstrate that 'there is no health without mental health'. It is important toto avert the discussion on the influence that crucial issues how educational poverty, well-being in the workplace and social inclusion through sport have an impact on everyone's lives. The commitment of these Municipalities is precious because their role is fundamental in developing inclusive policies that support the psychological well-being of communities. Everyone4MentalHealth represents a concrete model of how, through collaboration between the public, private and Third Sector, a more attentive and inclusive society can be built”.
Italy allocates approximately 3% of the National Health Fund to mental health, but to adequately address the challenges, an increase of at least 1,9 billion would be necessary of euros in the next three years, to reach the minimum percentage of 5%. The investment in mental health, as demonstrated by the report “Headway – Mental Health Index 4.0” of September 2024, published by the TEHA group, produces important benefits: if it is true, in fact, that mental disorders cost Europe around 800 billion euros per year, it is also true that every euro allocated to treatment and prevention generates a return of 4,5 euros, thanks to the reduction of healthcare costs and the improvement of productivity, also in the labor market.
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