The impact in Latin America of Basaglia and Italian psychiatric reform

Abstract

Latin America is one of the regions of the world where Franco Basaglia’s vision found a more fertile ground and exerted a more fruitful and lasting influence. This chapter describes the process of transformation of mental healthcare that has taken place in Latin America in the last four decades. It analyses the main factors that made it possible, and discusses how it was influenced by Basaglia’s conceptualization of the reform. It critically reviews the advances and shortcomings of mental healthcare reforms carried out in the region, taking into consideration the specific political and social context of the countries in which they have taken place, as well as the direct and indirect influences of Basaglia’s concepts and the Italian reform. Finally, it describes how the implementation of the reforms in Latin America have contributed to the development of a comprehensive approach to mental healthcare that continues to be one of the most stimulating and comprehensive approaches in global mental health at the present time.