WP 128 | 23 Social and health integration as the axis of a new model of care. The possible role of the Third Sector

The separation of social and health care services has had a significant impact on the evolution of welfare systems in recent years, especially at the local level. This paper aims to initiate a reflection on the potential role of the Third Sector bodies within a complex care model oriented towards individual well-being. The ability of Third Sector organizations to respond innovatively to the proliferation of socio-health needs is now being sacrificed in favor of a performance-oriented and highly competitive model, relegating them to a purely executive role. Instead, the specificity of the Third Sector can be enhanced within a more collaborative model informed by the principle of socio-health integration.

After a theoretical framing of these issues, the paper explores, for exploratory purposes, some successful experiences within five territorial contexts – Veneto, Lombardy, Calabria, Trentino, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia – where the Third Sector has been able to play a driving role in promoting socio-health integration.

JEL Codes

H1; I18; I31