The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity stated today that the development of measures to "defend the rights of the Azoreans in the access to social responses leading to an increase in their quality of life is the key goal of the Government's action."
 
Andreia Cardoso spoke in Angra do Heroísmo at the signing ceremony of the Funding Base Agreement for the 2019/2020 Biennium with representatives of Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) and the Santa Casa da Misericórdia institutions of the Azores.
 
The Secretary for Social Solidarity considered that this agreement reflects the “main concerns conveyed by the representatives of these institutions.” In this regard, she highlighted the major measures, namely the revision of the amounts allocated to several social areas, with retroactive effect from January 1, 2019. According to her, it “represents a widespread increase in all social responses well above the Region's inflation rate.”
 
In regard to financing, Andreia Cardoso highlighted the 4 and 4.5 percent increases in the area of daycare and kindergarten as well as the expected update value for residential elderly homes, which is expected to increase 6.5%.
 
“This increase is a result of a very significant convergence of resources for this area to respond to the increasing dependence level of the elderly in these responses and the resulting needs, especially with regard to the reinforcement of nursing services. Hence, it will ensure the proper quality of service for which we have always struggled,” added the government official.
 
“In 2019, the Government guaranteed an overall increase of 7% in the amount spent by Social Security on cooperation contracts to ensure the functioning of all social responses, i.e., representing an additional allocation of 4.5 million Euros. The amount increased from 62 million Euros in 2018 to 66.5 million in 2019,” said Andreia Cardoso.
 
The Regional Secretary also highlighted the initiatives aimed at improving the quality of services provided to citizens through various social responses, which involve the assessment of operating models and training.
 
The government official stated that the new agreement provides for the measures aimed at a fairer and equitable accessibility to be implemented during the 2019/2020 biennium. In this regard, she pointed out, as example, the centralised vacancy management system, which is already implemented on Terceira Island and will be adopted on São Miguel Island, in order to promote the access to vacancies in Residential Elderly Homes.
 
Moreover, the Government will also carry out a revision of the rules on family reimbursements to be applied in Occupational Activities Centres or in Free Time Activities Centres with the aim of standardising the calculation of the reimbursements due, always taking into account the financial capacity of each family.
 
Andreia Cardoso considered that the Regional Network of Social Infrastructures is a pride for the Government. It is a support base for people and families with fast and high quality proximity responses as a result of the cooperative relationship between the Government and IPSS.
 
“This network of social infrastructures has contributed to the continuous improvement of the services provided to the population and the infrastructures that support them, also ensuring sustained growth through the creation of new responses that meet the societal challenges we face," said the Regional Secretary.