The active implementation of the supported living social service will begin in Belarus in 2014.

December 20, Minsk /Elena Prus - BELTA/. The active implementation of the supported living social service will begin in Belarus in 2014. This was announced by Tatyana Fedorova, Deputy Head of the Department of State Social Support for the Population of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, during an online conference held today on the websites of BELTA and the Ministry.

Supported living as a type of social service is regulated by the new version of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Social Services", which came into force on January 1, 2013.

"The list of free and publicly accessible social services of state social service institutions provides for the territorial centres for social services for the population (TCSOP) to provide services of a support assistant for Group I disabled persons with limited mobility, assistant services for Group I disabled persons with psychophysical development peculiarities, and sign language interpreter services for disabled persons with hearing impairments," informed Tatyana Fedorova. The implementation of these services will be intensified in 2014 after the completion of work on the creation of supported living departments within the TCSOP.

In 2013, respite care services began to be provided. This is the relief of parents from caring for a disabled child for a certain period to allow them to restore their strength and resolve family and domestic issues. The service can be used in all regions of the republic. It proved to be most in demand among residents of the Minsk region and Minsk.

The cost of the service is approved by each region independently. It includes payment for utilities, catering, certain social and domestic services, and provision of medicines.-0-