The evolution of Italian mental health care: advancement or inequality?

Major advancement in Italian mental health care came with France Basaglia's movement to eliminate the marginalisation of the mentally ill from the res t of society. Basaglia's movement sought alternative structures to the ment al asylum by reintegrating the mentally ill into the community. Legislation in 1978 (Law 180) formalised this endeavour by closing mental hospitals wi thin a short time period. The unequal spread of Law 180 resulted in a numbe r of formidable problems, both in political and economic terms. These issue s, together with the important implications for families, and the introduct ion of workers' co-operatives for the mentally ill are discussed.