Committee for Labor, Employment and Social Protection: more than 27 thousand people receive social services in the Vitebsk region

The Vitebsk region is home to over 264 thousand elderly citizens, including 140 thousand living alone, 19 thousand who are single, 55.3 thousand disabled individuals, and 251 veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

Social assistance is provided by 25 territorial centers for social services for the population, which host 155 departments, 5 branches, and 247 social service points.

In 2022, a department for adaptation and rehabilitation was opened at the Beshenkovichi Territorial Center for Social Services, a center for social adaptation, rehabilitation, training, housing for disabled individuals, and temporary shelter at the Lepel Territorial Center, and stationary social service points were established in the Gluboksky, Dokshitsky, and Tolochinsky districts, as well as in the Oktyabrsky and Pervomaisky districts of Vitebsk. Nineteen economic brigades and 23 mobile social service brigades are in operation.

The needs of citizens requiring social assistance at home are fully met. As of October 1, 2022, over 15.6 thousand non-able-bodied elderly citizens received services. Fifty-three people received caregiver services.

Thirty-two day care centers for the elderly are operational, with over 2.9 thousand people attending on a regular basis.

Nine agreements are in effect with non-governmental non-profit organizations within the framework of implementing state social orders for the provision of social services in the sphere of social services in the Orshansky and Polotsky districts, and the Oktyabrsky, Zheleznodorozhny, and Pervomaisky districts of Vitebsk. Services were provided to 1,024 citizens.

The main partners in the implementation of the state social order include: the Vitebsk regional organization of the public association "Belarusian Society of the Deaf," the Vitebsk city organization of the public association "Belarusian Society of Disabled Persons," the Vitebsk regional branch of the Republican public association "Belarusian Children's Fund," the Vitebsk regional organization of the public association "Belarusian Association of the Visually Impaired," and the Baran' city organization of the public association "Belarusian Association for Assistance to Disabled Children and Young Disabled Persons."

Receiving social services in a foster family has allowed for the optimization of expenses for the maintenance of social service institutions, and for citizens to receive social services in the most comfortable conditions for them. In this form of living arrangement, social services were provided to 77 citizens. Daycare services were received by 114 people.

Additional social support from local budgets was provided to 765 citizens in the amount of 81.3 thousand rubles, and 6.9 thousand citizens received socio-domestic assistance.

In territorial centers, 29 departments have been organized to provide day care for disabled people, with over 1.4 thousand people using their services. The implementation of supported living services for disabled people continues. Services have been provided to over 700 disabled people.

Thanks to the effective interaction of state authorities and public organizations in the Vitebsk region, the indicators of the State Program "Social Protection" for 2021-2022 are being exceeded.