Assistant services in the municipality
The purpose of the assistant and companion service is to provide support to a person with a disability (an adult and a child with a disability) in performing activities outside the home that the person cannot perform independently due to functional limitations, as well as to promote the mobility and involvement of persons with disabilities in public life, as well as to relieve the burden on family members of persons with disabilities.
The following persons have the right to request the assistant service:
- children with disabilities from 5 to 18 years of age, who have been issued an opinion by the State Doctor Commission of Health and Working Ability Examination [Veselības un darbspēju ekspertīzes ārstu valsts komisija] (hereinafter referred to as the SDCHWAE) on the need for special care;
- persons with disability group I or II who have vision, movement or mental functioning limitations or SDCHWAE has determined medical indications for special adaptation of a passenger car and receiving an allowance to compensate for transport expenses.
The social service of the municipality assesses and determines the need for assistant services for adults with disability group I or II, in accordance with criteria stipulated by Cabinet of Ministers [Ministru kabinets] Regulations No. 316 and their Appendix No. 1 "Assessing the need for assistant services outside the home environment and determining the intensity of support".
Scope of assistant services:
For disabled children:
- in general cases – 80 h/month;
- if the child regularly (at least once a week) receives medical procedures or rehabilitation services prescribed by a doctor – 100 h/month.
For adults with I or II disability group from 15 to 160 h/month, consisting of the following:
- the intensity coefficient of the need for assistant support determined for the person (coefficient 1 or 2);
- the person's involvement in employment, education and other activities (for example, working for a wage, carrying out economic activities, studying, visiting a day care centre, doing volunteer work).
The assigned assistant service hours can be used by the person for the activities he/she wants, at the time he/she wants.
The service of an adult person's assistant can be requested for the following purposes:
- in order to work for a wage, earn income from economic activity, study at a university or college or engage in para sports (80 or 160 h/month, depending on the determined support intensity coefficient);
- in order to get to or from a basic, secondary or professional education institution, to fulfill the duties of a member of the board of an association or foundation or a capital company (60 or 120 h/month, depending on the determined aid intensity coefficient);
- in order to perform volunteer work (only formal contractual relationships), to go to or return from a day care centre or specialized workshop, to receive regular (at least once a week) medical hemodialysis procedures prescribed by a doctor or symptomatic therapy, if the person has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor (40 or 80 h/month, depending on the determined support intensity coefficient);
- in order perform other activities, such as visiting a doctor, social events (15 or 30 h/month, depending on the determined support intensity coefficient).
Adult persons with disability group I, who have a disability from childhood and who have indications of the need for special care, are granted an assistant service in an increased amount in the following cases:
- if the person attends a day care centre or a specialized workshop, the number of hours is 50 or 100 h/month, depending on the determined support intensity coefficient;
- if the assistant's service is used for other activities (for example, visiting a doctor, social events), then the number of hours is 30 or 60 h/month, depending on the determined support intensity coefficient.
For a person with visual disability of group I, who has been granted an allowance for the use of an assistant's service for 10 hours/week, the social service reduces the volume of the assistant's service by 40 hours/month.
Companion service
Children with a disability between the ages of 5 and 18 have the right to request the service of a companion, bearing in mind that the child must have an opinion issued by the SDCHWAE on the need for a companion service.
SDCHWAE issues an opinion on the need for a companion service if the child meets at least one of the following criteria:
- there are certain medical indications in place for special adaptation of a passenger car and receiving an allowance to compensate for transport expenses;
- there is damage to the anatomical structures of the visual organ with a maximum correction of visual acuity in the better-seeing eye, with less than 0.1, or a narrowing of the field of vision in the better-seeing eye up to 20 degrees from the fixation point;
- there are moderately frequent epileptic seizures (small seizures several times a week, large seizures up to four times a month);
- there is moderate mental retardation.
The scope of the attendant's service is 60 h/month.
The state budget finances the services of technical aids (TA) for persons with long-term or short-term functional impairments, due to which they have difficulties in taking care of themselves, moving or integrating into society, including persons with predictable disabilities:
- mobility, self-care TA, prostheses, orthoses, orthopedic shoes and communication aids – the issue of the above is ensured by the state limited liability company VSIA "National Regabilitation Centre "Vaivari"";
- surdo-technical aids – the issue of the above is ensured the Latvian Deaf Union (LNS);
- typhotechnical aids and eye prostheses – the issue of the above is ensured the Latvian Society of the Blind (LNB).
TAs are issued according to the request, the possibility of repeated receipt depends on the period of use specified for the specific TA.
A person with a predictable disability can receive the service during the period for which the person has a predictable disability.
Legal justification:
Mobility, self-care TA, prostheses, orthoses, orthopedic shoes and communication aids – the issue of the above is ensured by the state limited liability company VSIA "National Regabilitation Centre "Vaivari"".
Surdo-technical and typhlo-technical aids are provided by LNS and LNB.
Adaptation of passenger cars to the needs of persons with disabilities – persons with long-term or permanent disorders of body functions or anatomical defects can receive adaptation of their own car paid for from the state budget.
The passenger car customization service is provided by the State Agency for Social Integration [Sociālās integrācijas valsts aģentūra] under the Ministry of Welfare [Labklājības ministrija].
Social rehabilitation means restoring or improving a person's social abilities in order to return a person to social and working life by restoring or training those skills that have been lost due to various circumstances.
The state pays for the following social rehabilitation services for people with disabilities:
Social rehabilitation for people with visual disabilities – measures are implemented that reduce the impact of vision loss on a person's social functioning abilities. The social service is provided at the client's place of residence or at the social service provider.
The social service provider develops social rehabilitation programs and, according to the client's individual social rehabilitation plan, provides the following:
- psychological adaptation training;
- learning orientation and movement skills;
- learning self-care skills;
- Learning Braille script;
- training in the use of tiflotechnics;
- training in the use of specialized computer technologies and communication technologies;
- learning the basic skills of physical and intellectual work;
- improvement of communication and creative self-expression skills;
- learning adapted sports activities;
- consultations and assistance in solving the client's social problems.
The social service provider, in accordance with the client's individual social rehabilitation plan, provides individual social rehabilitation services for the client's acquisition of independent functioning skills (not exceeding 300 hours per year) or a complex of social rehabilitation services (with a stay at the social service provider) for the client's acquisition of independent functioning skills (not exceeding 150 days every five years). When providing social rehabilitation services to the client, the social service provider acts according to the team principle, determining the person responsible for the progress of the social rehabilitation process.
Social rehabilitation for people with hearing disabilities – measures are implemented that reduce the impact of hearing loss on a person's social functioning abilities. The social service is provided at the client's place of residence or at the social service provider.
The social service provider develops social rehabilitation programs and, according to the client's individual social rehabilitation plan, provides the following:
- Latvian sign language interpreter and communication services;
- Latvian sign language usage training;
- learning communication and creative self-expression skills;
- psychological adaptation training;
- help and support in solving the client's social problems.
The social service provider provides separate social rehabilitation services for the promotion of social integration in accordance with the client's individual social rehabilitation plan (not exceeding 150 hours per year) or a complex of social rehabilitation services for the client's acquisition of independent functioning skills (not exceeding 150 days in five years). When providing social rehabilitation services to the client, the social service provider acts according to the team principle, determining the person responsible for the progress of the social rehabilitation process.
However, people with functional disorders are provided with a social rehabilitation course on a first-come, first-served basis. It is a set of measures that help to learn to live with functional impairments, to get involved in social life, etc. It includes the creation of an individual social rehabilitation plan, education in environmental adaptation and the use of assistive devices to improve mobility and independent living skills.
These services are provided by the State Agency for Social Integration [Sociālās integrācijas valsts aģentūra]. To receive the service, the person must apply to the social service of the appropriate municipality.
More information at the State Agency for Social Integration [Sociālās integrācijas valsts aģentūra], phones: 67771037 and 67769890.
In order for persons with disabilities or foreseeable disabilities to learn a new profession or improve their professional knowledge and skills, the state offers professional rehabilitation services.
Vocational rehabilitation is provided by the College of the Agency for Social Integration [Sociālās integrācijas valsts aģentūra] (hereinafter – ASI) of the Ministry of Welfare [Labklājības ministrija] and the Jurmala Vocational High School [Jūrmalas profesionālā vidusskola].
The environment at ASI is fully adapted for people with mobility impairments and people in wheelchairs.
Vocational rehabilitation includes the following activities:
- determination of professional suitability;
- obtaining a professional qualification by studying one of the educational programs at the ASI College or Jurmala Vocational High School [Jūrmalas profesionālā vidusskola];
- individual social rehabilitation;
- providing support for employment after obtaining a professional qualification.
Necessary documents:
- family doctor's opinion (form U27) indicating the code of the main diagnosis and secondary diagnosis and a record of the absence of medical contraindications for receiving the service. The opinion must be issued no earlier than one month before the submission of documents to
- if the person has a predictable disability, a copy of the individual rehabilitation plan issued by the attending physician is required;
- a document certifying the previously obtained education with a transcript of results (presenting the original);
- an identity document must be presented – passport or identification card;
- a document confirming the change of surname, if the person has changed his/her surname after completing the education (for example, marriage, divorce or other document).
For persons with disabilities or predictable disabilities during studies or studies at ASI College or Jurmala Vocational High School [Jūrmalas profesionālā vidusskola], the state pays for the following:
- educational programs;
- consultations and classes of a doctor, psychologist, physiotherapist and other specialists; health improvement procedures;
- accommodation in a service hotel/dormitory;
- catering;
- for people with hearing impairments – sign language interpretation;
- car driving lessons.
Applying Procedure: At the Agency for Social Integration [Sociālās integrācijas valsts aģentūra], Slokas iela 68, Dubulti, Jurmala, or by phone 67811704 or at the homepage of the Agency www.siva.gov.lv or at the regional support units of the Agency.
Long-term social care
In institutions of long-term social care and social rehabilitation, people who are unable to take care of themselves due to age or health conditions and who are assigned level 3 or 4 care, as well as children left without parental care, can receive housing, full care and social rehabilitation.
The following persons have the right to receive state-funded services in long-term social care and social rehabilitation institutions:
- adult persons with mental disorders who were placed in these institutions until January 1, 2003;
- adult blind persons and persons with severe and very severe mental disorders, which, due to the severity of functional disorders and the level of care, need to receive services in a long-term social care and social rehabilitation institution;
- for children with severe and very severe mental and physical developmental disorders up to the age of four, for whom it is impossible to provide family care (or care by a guardian or in a foster family) due to the severity of functional disorders;
- for children with severe and very severe mental disorders with the ages from 4 to 18 years, for whom it is impossible to provide family care (or care by a guardian or in a foster family) due to the severity of functional disorders;
- for orphans and children left without parental care up to two years of age – for the period until care with a guardian or in a foster family begins, but in total no longer than six months, this period not including the adoption process of the child, if it was started within the first six months after the child was placed in a long-term social care and social rehabilitation institution.
The following persons have the right to receive municipality-funded services in long-term social care and social rehabilitation institutions:
- orphans and children left without parental care are increased;
- persons of retirement/pension age;
- persons with disabilities, if the care they require exceeds the amount determined for care at home or in day care and social rehabilitation institutions.
In order to receive social care services, the person or his/her legal representative must apply to the social service of the municipality of his/her declared place of residence.
Alternative care
Social care at the residential place (home)
Local governments provide social care services available to their residents at their place of residence.
In order to receive social care services, the person or his/her representative must apply to the social service of the municipality of his/her declared place of residence. The services of the crisis centre and night shelter can be obtained without contacting the municipality.
Care at home – this service can be received by people who cannot take care of themselves due to health conditions, functional disorders or age.
When deciding on care at home, the social service assesses the ability of the client and family members to provide care, plans activities that require assistance and calculates the cost of the home care service. Within its capabilities, the municipality offers care provided by professional service providers at home or provides support to the family so that it can care for a family member. If personal care is provided by family members, the municipality can support these family members psychologically, by counselling and training them, and, if necessary, also materially (if this type of support is provided for in the binding regulations of the repective municipality).
It should be noted that it is the client's responsibility to pay for the social services received, including care at home. If the client's income is not sufficient to pay the full price of the social service and the provider pays for the service. The funds that remain at the disposal of the breadwinner's family after payment of the service must not be less than the amount calculated by multiplying the minimum wage established in the country by the following coefficient:
- for a one-person family – 1.0;
- for each subsequent family member of the breadwinner – 0.5.
Indigent persons, who are recognized as such in accordance with the procedures specified in the regulatory acts, are exempted from paying for social services.
The Day Care Centre – the person can get the necessary care there, as well as use various leisure opportunities, develop his/her skills and get an education.
The Day Care Centres provide services to different population groups:
- persons of retirement/pension age;
- persons with mental disabilities;
- persons with physical disabilities;
- disabled children;
- children from poor families, including children with behavioral disorders;
- other population groups, for example, persons after release from the place of serving a sentence, those addicted to psychoactive substances and others.
The state co-finances day care centres that provide services to persons with mental disorders.
A group home (apartment) is a separate apartment or house in which individuals with mental disorders are provided with individual support in solving social problems. The state covers part of the costs for staying in a group home (apartment) for those persons who, after social rehabilitation in the halfway home, start an independent life after leaving the social care centre.
Halfway home – if the person lives in a social care centre for a platform with mental disorders, then he/she has the opportunity to undergo a rehabilitation course in a half-way house or an analogous program in any social care centre where a half-way home has not been established before moving to a group apartment. The halfway home service is a transitional stage from long-term social care to independent living. Here, people with mental disorders learn the skills they need in everyday life – how to cook, wash clothes, take care of themselves – things that a person did not have to take care of himself while living in a care centre. Currently, six halfway homes have been established in the state social care centres.
A crisis centre is a place where residents in crisis can receive temporary psychological and other help. Individual crisis centres can also accommodate their clients.
The serviced apartment is specially adapted for people with severe functional disabilities. It is designed to increase a person's ability to live independently and take care of themselves. The municipality also provides necessary services to service apartment tenants.
Shelters and night shelters are services provided by municipalities to the homeless and people in crisis. In most cases, persons can stay in shelters for up to 3 months. Here the person can get nutrition, as well as the services of social work specialists.