GOVERNANCE OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

The course Governance of Social and Socio-Health Services is part of the disciplines of social and health policies, with a specific focus on the planning, management, coordination, and evaluation of social services. The course aims to provide students with both theoretical and practical skills to understand and analyze governance mechanisms within integrated welfare systems, particularly in contexts of collaboration between public entities, the third sector, and private actors.

Special attention is given to:
the principles of participatory and integrated governance,
the national and regional regulatory framework (The essential levels of social benefits - LEPS, the Social Territorial Areas - ATS),
organizational and management models of services,
programming tools (such as Local Plans, Health Budgets, Area Plans, Health Budget, National Plan of Social Interventions and Services 2024/26, Ministerial Decree 77/2022, etc.)
the quality and evaluation of social and socio-health policies.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

Knowledge
Know the main regulatory, institutional, and organizational frameworks governing the governance of social and socio-health services in Italy.
Understand the key concepts of governance, subsidiarity, socio-health integration, co-programming, and co-design.
Analyze the organizational and management models of territorial services.

Skills
Critically analyze social and socio-health policies from a multi-level governance perspective.
Use operational tools for the integrated planning and management of services (e.g., Local Plans, program agreements, quality assessment tools).
Promote participatory and integrative processes between institutional and community actors in service design.

Transversal abilities
Work in interdisciplinary teams, fostering coordination among social and health service professionals.
Communicate effectively with institutional and local stakeholders.
Develop an ethical and reflective approach to the management of services for individuals.

No prerequisites required.

The course covers the theoretical foundations of governance in welfare systems, with reference to the organizational and management models of social and socio-health services. It analyzes the national and regional regulatory framework, the processes of integrated planning (Local Plans, Health Budgets), and the tools for co-programming and co-design. The role of public actors, the third sector, and the community is explored in depth. Attention is given to quality assessment and innovation in services. Case studies and analyses of territorial experiences are also included.

1) National Plan for Social Interventions and Services - 2024/26, Ministry of Labor and Social Policies;
2) Guidelines for the definition of homogeneous organizational models of the Social Territorial Areas for the Implementation of the Essential Levels of Social Services, Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, June 2025;
3) National Summary Report of the Monitoring Results on Ministerial Decree 77/2022 - II semester 2024, AGENAS (National Agency for Regional Health Services) Document;
4) Health and Territory, Social and Health Services of Italian Municipalities, 2024 Report, IFEL Fondazione ANCI- Federsanità;
5) WHO Commission on Social Connectedness, A Strategy Against Loneliness and Isolation, July 2025, https://www.dors.it/2025/07/la-connessione-sociale-una-strategia-contro-la-solitudine-e-lisolation/ ;
6) Health, Environment, and Climate. Development of an Ecological Public Health Model, AGENAS, Agenas_Monitor_45_DOPPIE_Web, https://www.agenas.gov.it/archivio-monitor-2021/1918-nuovo-monitor-45 ;
7) Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights, European Commission, 2021, https://op.europa.eu/webpub/empl/european-pillar-of-social-rights/en/ ;
8) The Glossary of Social Inequalities, II. Why We Are Differently Unequal, G. Gallo and L. Bonacini (eds.), Il Mulino, BO, 2023;

Written exam.

written

Grading criteria:

Scores in the 18–22 range will be awarded in the presence of:
sufficient knowledge of the theoretical content based on the exam materials;
limited ability to apply knowledge to practical cases;
sufficient communication skills, especially in the use of the specific language of the Social Work profession.

Scores in the 23–26 range will be awarded in the presence of:
fair knowledge of the theoretical content based on the exam materials;
fair ability to apply knowledge to practical cases;
fair communication skills, especially in the use of the specific language of the Social Work profession.

Scores in the 27–30 range will be awarded in the presence of:
good or excellent knowledge of the theoretical content based on the exam materials;
good or excellent ability to apply knowledge to practical cases;
fully appropriate communication skills, especially in the use of the specific language of the Social Work profession.

Honors ("cum laude") will be awarded in the presence of:
excellent knowledge of the theoretical content covered in the course;
excellent judgment skills and communication abilities;
excellent ability to make connections and apply theoretical knowledge to practical cases.

Traditional lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations will be complemented by educational activities that make use of participatory teaching tools: simulations, role-playing, case presentations, seminar-style lessons, expert-led seminars, and workshops.

The syllabus is subject to partial modifications upon the assignment of the official course instructor

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development