Behind a great revolution there is a great woman: the contribution of Franca Ongaro to the Italian deinstitutionalization movement

One of the most important revolutions in the field of mental health started in Gorizia, Italy. A powerful experience led by the young psychiatrist Franco Basaglia, along with his group, brought a law in 1978 which resulted in the closure of all mental health asylums in Italy. Basaglia is remembered as the leader of this movement, however he was also supported by a large movement consisting of other mental health workers, intellectuals, patients, leftist politicians and activists. In particular, it is important to shed some light on Franca Ongaro: she is often mentioned only as “the wife” of Basaglia, but her work had been fundamental for the development of the theories and practices at the basis of the long process that led to the closure of the mental health asylum as a total institution. In particular, she brought the sociological perspective inside the psychiatric dimension, exploring the relation between the experience of institutionalization and class struggles. After Franco Basaglia’s death – a few years after the bill’s passage - Franca Ongaro continued to work relentlessly for the implementation of the law, fighting for the rights of institutionalized people and their families, supporting actively the formation of mental health workers and taking part in political and cultural life of the Italian society. The aim of this work is to introduce Franca Ongaro to non-Italian psychologists, showing the importance of her contribution in the incredible experience of the Italian deinstitutionalization process. Furthermore, this study highlights, through her writings, the close relation between women’s health conditions and critical mental health.