Deciding on disability services – together
The disability services a person receives are decided in social work services. The decision is based on a service needs assessment and, if needed, the work of the SAS group. The client and, often, a person close to them also take part in the assessment. SAS stands for Strategize, Assess, Suggest.
Disability Services offer help when a person has a disability or illness that causes particular long-term difficulties in performing normal activities in daily life. Disability social work supports the person by granting them statutory services, some of which are subjective and some discretionary support measures. A social worker or instructor will assess the client’s need for services and then decide whether to grant the services. If needed, this is based on multi-professional cooperation and it takes into account the client’s individual needs and wishes.
In addition to the client, persons close to the client can also contribute to the service needs assessment, which acts as the basis for the service decision. The social worker or instructor making the decision is supported, if necessary, by a client team, a senior social worker, an SAS working group or multi-professional cooperation.
Many ways to contact Disability Services
Head of Disability Social Work Teija Motturi says that a client’s first contact is often by phone to the customer service of the Disability Services.
– There are currently four customer service teams for Disability Services operating in the wellbeing services county: Espoo-Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi, Lohja-Inkoo-Siuntio-Karkkila-Vihti and Hanko-Raasepori. The customer service includes the services of social instructors who provide the client with the necessary information about applying for services and contacting the relevant worker to make an appointment for a service needs assessment.
Our customer service can also be contacted by email or by submitting an application. The contact information for the customer service of Disability Services and the application can be found here: Disability Services customer service
Client’s needs are the basis for everything
– When we receive a contact from a client, we strive to contact them within 3 working days. However, this cannot always be achieved due to busy hours. We will assess the urgency of the matter immediately, and a social worker or instructor will contact the client to arrange an appointment or ask for more information. We can also manage the appointments flexibly by phone or remotely, Motturi says.
The planning and implementation of the services are based on the individual needs of the client.
– When we assess a person’s need for services and arrange services and support measures, we take into account the client’s wishes, opinions and individual needs. Listening to our clients is important to us. We pay special attention to respecting the right to self-determination of children and young people and people who need special support, Motturi says.
SAS teams look for the best solutions
SAS stands for Strategize, Assess and Suggest. Disability Services have two SAS working groups, one of which deals with the needs of housing services and the second with other, more extensive service packages. The working groups are multi-professional.
At the request of the social workers and instructors, the SAS groups examine clients’ service solutions and give recommendations on whether a service should be granted and to what extent and how urgently.
Issues to be discussed in the SAS working groups include applications for:
- permanent housing (24-hour and supported accommodation)
- short-term care
- coaching for independent living
- work and day activities
- the granting of personal assistance hours, if the number of hours is more than 35 hours a week
- service packages to be arranged between several different operators.
In addition, the purpose of the SAS working group is to identify future service needs and the adequacy of services.
Chief Social Worker for Disability Services Martina Nygård says that at the moment, the SAS working groups have more things to consider than usual in order to ensure the equal provision of disability services in our region.
– The SAS groups are an important operating model for us. The groups assess different solution options and their impact on the client’s life, and they support the employees’ decision-making and agree on common issues. The purpose of the groups is to suggest good solutions, but the actual decisions on services are always made by individual social workers or instructors, says Nygård who works as the chairperson for both SAS working groups.
A disability social work employee must decide on a client’s services within 3 months after the case has been initiated.
– In urgent situations, we always act immediately, Nygård emphasises.
Further information: SAS Operational Model in Disability Services