On Thursday, 3 February, Latvia’s parliament approved in the second reading legislative amendments that provide for the provision of rehabilitation to asylum seeking victims of violence.
Amendments were suggested for the Law on Social Services and Social Assistance to improve the social service provision process.
It is planned to provide the right for social rehabilitation financed by the state budget to victims of violence who stay in Latvia thanks to residence permits, persons who are citizens of third countries, persons who do not have legal justification for staying in Latvia and people who were detained (prior to deportation or departure), as well as foreigners whose return to their home country is put on hold or who have been provided with a term for voluntary return to their home country.
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As mentioned in the explanation, amendments are necessary also because state budget aid is not available for adult victims of violence, foreigners who do not have a residence permit but who are allowed to remain in Latvia for several months. In relation to children, rights to receive social rehabilitation if those children are asylum seekers with special admission needs. However, until now the law did not mention children recognized as less protected persons during deportation procedure.
During the state of emergency it was found that certain groups of people who have no money to pay for services are unable to receive state support even if they are found in need of it. The situation was resolved using regulations in place for the state of emergency. However, to make sure people are able to receive social rehabilitation services after suffering violence, there have to be law amendments.
According to information from resource centre Marta, about ten victims of violence who do not have the rights to receive state financed services reach out to the centre, as mentioned in the annotation to the legislative draft. It is planned to outline in the law the option to provide social services to a person who does not have a place of residence due to objective reasons.
It is planned to establish a unified and all inclusive approach for the provision of support to persons suffering from mental disorders if a municipality provides a group home (apartment) service within another municipality’s territory and the person declares a place of residence there.
It is also planned to coordinate regulations governing provision of support to disabled people in need of care in accordance with the Law on State Social Allowances, which provides for the continued payment of the aforementioned benefits to persons who are staying in lasting social care and social rehabilitation institutions.
This means support to disabled persons in need of care will be part of the person’s income. It is planned to withhold from them the fee for services from the social care institution, according to the proposed amendments.
Following a request from the Ministry of Welfare parliamentary secretary Evita Zālīte-Grosa, it is planned to ensure that the state real estate property under Ministry of Welfare and providing lasting social care and social rehabilitation are managed by VSIA Šampētera nams.
The proposal from the Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts to ensure from 2024 onward lasting social care and social rehabilitation institutions with 49 or more adult clients and more are to be considered healthcare service providers and are to be registered in the register of healthcare institutions.
Latvian parliament supports providing rehabilitation to asylum seeking victims of violence
