Donini: “For years we have been committed to building an integrated social and health network for assistance to people with autism spectrum disorder and their families” Tomorrow the towers of the Region will be colored blue to raise citizens’ awareness on the issue
April 1, 2024 – I am 6,558 children and adolescents up to 18 years of age affected by autism spectrum disorders assisted, in 2023from the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Service (NPIA) in Emilia Romagnaand other 1,194 adults they were assisted, in the same period, by Mental Health Centers.
To guarantee them the necessary care – professional resources and diagnostic paths – last year they were assigned by the Region to the Pria (Integrated regional plan for assistance to people with autism spectrum disorders) 4 million and 230 thousand eurosto which must be added the resources used by local health authorities for the outpatient treatment of people diagnosed with autism.
Tomorrow, Tuesday 2 Aprilon the occasion of World Autism Awareness DayEven the towers of the Region will be colored blue: and symbolic hug aimed at all people with autism and their families, also useful for keeping attention alive on a problem for which suitable tools are constantly being sought to guarantee an early diagnosis, timely management and an effective inclusion path that lasts a lifetime.
Associated with the color blue dal 2007the year of its establishment at the behest of the United Nations, the Day aims to encourage organizations dealing with autism to collaborate on research, diagnosis, treatment and social integration of people with these disorders.
“The care of people with autism spectrum disorder, whatever their age, must involve all contexts of life, family, school, work – comments the councilor for health policies, Raffaele Donini– and the entire span of existence. For this reason, for years the Region has been committed to building an integrated network of health and socio-health professionals, with the aim of responding to the needs of these people and supporting families”.
The commitment of the Region
The first regional guidelines on the topic date back to 2004; starting from 2008 the Integrated Regional Program for assistance to people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (PRIA), which involves investments both in terms of professional and material resources to qualify the diagnostic and care pathways for people with autism spectrum disorder, for all age groups. The 2023 Mental Health Implementation Plan of the Emilia-Romagna Region has assigned the PRIA 4 million and 230 thousand euros.
The latest programming PRIA is five-yearly and was finalized in 2023: it involves the monitoring of neurodevelopmental disorders and the reporting of suspected cases of autism by paediatricians; interventions are indicated coordinated, personalized and chosen in a targeted mannerwhich include enabling activities and the supervision of school courses, which are taken care of by the regional health service.
To support an early and shared intervention the involvement of different subjects in the integration and treatment process: family, educational, school and healthcare workers. With this logic, a project was started training project which involves the Regional School Office.
The Region is also committed to integrating health interventions with socio-health interventions also in the transition from developmental age to adulthood, to guarantee care throughout the entire life span; the goal is to achieve individualized life plansguaranteeing scholastic integration and social and working inclusion.
To know more
In Emilia-Romagna the number of people suffering from autism spectrum disorders assisted by the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry (NPIA) service has increased significantly in the last ten years. In 2011 the service assisted 1,584 children and adolescents (up to 18 years old) with this disorder, which rose to 6,558 in 2023 (+314%); the majority of them are males (78.6%) and 21.4% females. The ratio for the population aged 0-17 is 8.9 per 1000 residents. In the period considered, a 61.3% increase was also found in the number of minors suffering from other disorders followed by child neuropsychiatry.
In 2023, out of 66,171 assisted by the regional Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Services, 10% (6,558 subjects) had an autism spectrum disorder. 53.8% are between 6 and 13 years old, 25.4% are less than 6. Over the last twelve years the number of services (treatments, visits, interviews) ensured for minors affected by autism spectrum disorder has increased, reaching 156,225 services in 2023, 23.6% of the total of 662,762. The attention that the regional health service pays to these treatments is demonstrated by the fact that almost one in four neuropsychiatric services is aimed at autistic minors.
The minors followed in 2023 by the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry services for the Local Health Authority are distributed as follows: Piacenza 374, Parma 476, Reggio Emilia 1,033, Modena 1,422, Bologna 911, Imola 214, Ferrara 409, Romagna 1,736 (if the patient is cared for in the same year plus ASL is counted several times).
As regards adults suffering from autism spectrum disorders, the Mental Health Center has seen a significant increase in the number of people assisted in the last seven years: from 244 in 2015 to 1,194 in 2023. The distribution by local health authority is as follows: Piacenza 184 , Parma 68, Reggio Emilia 117, Modena 124, Bologna 273, Imola 41, Ferrara 31 and Romagna 356.