Franco Basaglia

Franco Basaglia was a doctor and a professor who lived in Italy. He believed that people with mental illness should not be locked away in special institutions, as was the practice at the time. Instead, he argued that they should have the same rights as everyone else, and live in their communities where they can get help with their condition. He worked hard to make sure that the people in these institutions had better care, and he also campaigned for the closure of many of the institutions. In 1978, the Italian government passed a law called the Basaglia Law that allowed for the closure of nearly all the in-patient mental health institutions in the country. This law has had a big impact on people with mental illness, and has helped to create a more caring and supportive environment for them.