Consultorio Our it Works

What is a family counseling center? Can I go there too?

Recently, due to political discussions about abortion rights and the role of family counseling centers, these centers are mostly associated with IVG (voluntary termination of pregnancy). It's true that family counseling centers play an important role in the IVG process: through their gynecology services, they can issue certificates for IVG, provide information, offer counseling and psychological support, and facilitate contact with the hospital that will perform the IVG. However, beyond this, family counseling centers offer many other services to support you and can be an excellent place for your preventive check-ups, diagnostic tests, and to receive specific advice and support for your sexual and reproductive health, with a holistic approach that centers the individual in their physical and psychological complexities.

So yes, a family counseling center is a place for everyone, including you.

What is a family counseling center?

Family counseling centers, commonly referred to simply as "consultori," are integrated basic social and healthcare services. They are widely distributed throughout the country, so there's at least one near you, and they have multidisciplinary expertise to provide access to services, counseling, and education on sexual and reproductive health. Within a family counseling center, there are various professionals dedicated to care, welcoming, listening, and communication. The principle is to provide accessibility and empowerment to individuals and the community regarding their choices and health in the sexual and reproductive sphere, through medical, psychological, counseling, and educational support.

A fundamental characteristic of the family counseling center is its interdisciplinary approach: unlike a single outpatient clinic, a multidisciplinary team works within the center to welcome you according to your needs. It is primarily composed of professionals such as midwives, gynecologists, psychologists, and social workers. In addition to these, there may be specialists in nursing, nutrition, endocrinology, as well as pediatrics and child neuropsychiatry to support the children of those who access the center. This team is also joined by legal experts, sociologists, and educators.

So, when can I go to a family counseling center?

You can go there whenever you need any support for your individual sexual and reproductive health, as well as assistance with maternity and paternity, and family and couple relationship management. For example, individually you can: receive counseling and prescriptions for contraceptive methods, undergo screening and preventive check-ups, have gynecological examinations for specific issues, request psychological and sexological support services, or access the IVG process. As a couple or family, you might request counseling on fertility, psychological support for the couple or family, for adolescent children, or pregnancy support. Below, we provide a basic overview of some of the services you can access at a family counseling center.

• Contraceptive counseling and prescription
• Obstetric and gynecological examinations
• Procedures for voluntary termination of pregnancy
• Screening and prevention tests such as Pap tests and HPV tests, as well as information on how to perform breast self-examination
• Monitoring of low and high-risk pregnancies
• Obstetric and gynecological ultrasound
• Psychological counseling
• Interventions for youth, couple, and family distress
• Prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
• Interventions on emotional and sexual development in adolescents

Are family counseling centers free?

Family counseling centers can be public or accredited private. Public family counseling centers are managed by the Regions through local health authorities, and they provide free assistance to all women, Italian and foreign families (even without a residence permit), and their minor children. There may be some specialized services that require a co-payment; this depends on the service received and the relevant local health authority.

Accredited private family counseling centers offer free assistance, but to financially sustain their activities, they may require a membership fee and, in some cases, a contribution for specialized services received. It's important to know that private family counseling centers can be secular or religiously inspired, in Italy, Catholic; this can impact their approach to individuals, as well as the counseling provided and the processes for obtaining an abortion certificate due to conscientious objectors among staff. It's good to know this before contacting a center to ensure your expectations align with the services and type of counseling you'll receive, especially on topics like maternity, sexually transmitted diseases, and more. On Geen, you will only find services offered by secular private family counseling centers, such as CED (Centro Educazione Demografica) in Milan.

Why do family counseling centers exist?

Family counseling centers were strongly advocated for and are an achievement of feminist movements which, in the 1970s in Italy, amidst a historical and social context of profound cultural and social changes, led to their establishment. Law 405 of 1975 formalized their institution, responding to the need for more comprehensive and personalized healthcare, particularly for women. These centers represented a free space for education, access to sexual health services, and empowerment.
Their function evolved further in the 1990s. Since 1997, they have also included Youth Spaces, created to address the sexual and psychological issues of adolescents, and since 1998, Spaces for Immigrant Women and their children.

CED: one of Milan's historic family counseling centers

CED is one of Milan's private family counseling centers. Specifically, it is a Social Promotion Association (APS) and operates as a family counseling center. It is a free and safe space, established in 1976, precisely when women began to make their voices heard and demand more rights. At CED, you can freely discuss everything concerning your body and your life, get help taking care of your health, and seek advice for your free choices regarding contraception, childbirth, fertility, abortion, and anything else you need. An interdisciplinary team is there to welcome you; specifically, on Geen you can book directly:

• The routine gynecological check-up
• Contraceptive counseling and prescription
• Psychological support
• Diagnostic services such as ultrasound

To access CED's services, you will be asked for a €16 fee to subscribe to the annual membership card, so once the card is paid for and obtained, you won't have to pay the fee again for a year and can continue to access services. For each service, however, you will be asked to offer a specific contribution; this helps CED sustain its activities and continue to support all members. If you need more information on this, you can contact CED directly.

‍