New Act on Disability Services and Assistance brings changes to services

Consequently, the legislation on disability services and assistance will undergo changes of historic proportions changes of historic proportions. The new act mainly combines the existing Act on Disability Services and Assistance with the Act on Special Care for the Mentally Handicapped. Furthermore, the new act brings changes to several other healthcare and social welfare acts.

The objective of the new Act on Disability Services and Assistance is to increase the equality, inclusion and societal participation among the disabled as well as to prevent and remove obstacles to them to an even greater extent. Moreover, an objective of the act is to support independent living and the realisation of the right of self-determination, and to ensure sufficient services of good quality according to individual need and interest.

The act seeks to observe the so-called principle of normality, whereupon a disabled person receives the healthcare and social welfare services they need in their everyday lives in the same way and from the same places as a person without disabilities. The act will require increased co-operation from the entities granting health and social services, in order to ensure that the disabled person receives the most suitable services at each time. In the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, such entities are, for example, the service area for children, young people and families, the service area for the elderly and the joint social services.

The new act also introduces new services, such as coaching, child housing, support for special inclusion and supported decision-making as well as demanding, multi-professional support. Additionally, the new mobility support service includes several ways in which it can be organised.