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The past and present of mental health care in Italy were the focus of a visit by a group of UCEAP students to the former Santa Maria della Piet\u00e0 psychiatric institution in northern Rome. Until the late 1970s, this vast complex housed thousands of individuals who were often treated as social outcasts rather than as patients in need of care and support.<\/p>\n
Following the abolition of psychiatric institutions in Italy, the building was given the opportunity for a new purpose. Today, the local public hospital network is repurposing the site as a medical hub for the surrounding community. At the same time, parts of the complex have been preserved in their original state to maintain a historical record of life inside such institutions.<\/p>\n
The students visited the former hospital as part of a Social Psychology course taught by local professor and psychologist Leonardo Bevilacqua. The goal of the visit was to gain a deeper understanding of how psychological theory and the treatment of mental disorders in Italy have evolved over the past century. Guided by volunteers and staff members, the students first learned about the hospital\u2019s history. Although initially constructed on the outskirts of the city, the massive institution soon necessitated the development of an entire neighborhood around it.<\/p>\n
Students then examined selected official records from the hospital, which have been partially redacted to protect the privacy of former patients. These documents provided valuable insight into the institution\u2019s daily operations and treatment practices. The group also toured areas where patients had been confined, allowing students to observe firsthand the living conditions they endured. This portion of the visit was enhanced by a permanent exhibition featuring recorded video testimonies from former patients.<\/p>\n
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Finally, the group heard about how the new health center serves the community in relation to physical and mental health. Students explored how approaches to mental health care in Italy have evolved over time, gaining insight into a shift from viewing individuals with mental illness as potentially dangerous and in need of isolation to recognizing them as people deserving of dignity, understanding, and appropriate support.<\/p>\n
Overall, the visit helped students contextualize the concepts discussed in class and offered a powerful, firsthand perspective on societal attitudes toward mental health in Italy and how they have changed over the past fifty years.<\/p>\n