04.12.2020

Professional assistants will take care of people with disabilities

"With the amendments to the Personal Assistance Act, we place emphasis on the quality of personal assistance and the control over its provision. We consider it as one of the tools to support people with disabilities, believing that personal assistance should be combined with social services."

This was said by the Minister of Labor and Social Policy during an event organized by the Center for Independent Living on the occasion of World Day of Persons with Disabilities. This was announced by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.

"We aim to professionalize the assistants. A step towards this is the increase in their salaries. We do not limit family members to be assistants, but we think it is good to invest in professionals.

We are also considering training for family members of people with disabilities, "she added. The Minister reminded that the planned funds in the budget for 2021 are BGN 214.6 million for personal assistants and another BGN 85 million under the Social Services for Assistant Support Act.

She pointed out that those in need can receive support through the patronage care provided under the operational program "Human Resources Development", as well as benefit from similar services provided by municipalities.

The Minister pointed out that so far the concluded contracts for providing assistance support are 32,673 for a total of 4,311,625 hours. He reminded that the law is for all groups of people with disabilities, as currently only 8% of its users are children and 40% are people over 65 years of age. According to Denitsa Sacheva, a discussion continues on the creation of a Code of Social Support, which would unite the various laws in the social sphere. Personal assistance will certainly be included. Earlier in the day, Minister Sacheva joined a discussion on the rights of people with disabilities, organized by the Association of Parents of Children with Epilepsy. She congratulated the participants and reaffirmed the commitment of the government and the Ministry to support them and create appropriate policies to improve their quality of life.