The Trieste Local Healthcare Agency

The Mental Health Department forms part of the Trieste Local Healthcare Agency (LHA) n. 1 "Triestina", which was completely reorganised following the formation of a separate Hospitals Agency in 1997 (today University Hospital Agency). The purpose of this reorganisation, which took place primarily during the 1990's, was to provide more resources and impetus to community-based healthcare services, and re-balance what had been an excessively "hospital-centric" system.

The Trieste LHA covers the territory of the Province of Trieste, with a total population of about 245k, 210k of which reside in Trieste and the remainder in a handful of small municipalities (Duino Aurisina, Sgonico, Monrupino, Muggia, San Dorligo della Valle).

Since 1998, the Trieste LHA has been made up of 4 Healthcare Districts, 3 Departments (Mental Health Department, Substance Dependency Department and Prevention Department) and 3 inter-District centres (Cardiovascular Centre, Social Oncology Centre and the 118 Emergency Service). The new organisational set-up requires that the services work together in a coherent and integrated fashion, utilising a multi-disciplinary workstyle in order to achieve goals and carry out projects. This "forced" integration can be considered the primary innnovation and main factor for development and change within the Agency.