The price of the accommodation service at the "Komanski Most" Institution is unreasonably lower than the price in homes for the elderly in Montenegro, which puts service users in an unequal position, which, according to the institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, is not justified and affects the quality of the service provided.
That is why she is the Deputy Protector Snezana Mijušković recommended to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to increase the price of accommodation services at the "Komanski Most" Institution, taking into account the real costs of users, but also to establish a methodology for calculating the price of services in public social and child protection institutions that accommodate users.
"The price of the accommodation service at the 'Komanski Most' Institute was determined by the decision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare dated November 28, 11, in the amount of 2022 euros. By the same decision, the prices of services in public institutions and homes for the elderly, depending on the level of support, are set at 350, 300 and 400 euros. In addition to these, in homes for the elderly, the prices of services established by the management boards/directors (for direct contracting) are also applied and are significantly higher than those mentioned... are significantly higher, as for example in the Old People's Home in Podgorica, where it ranges from 550 to 500 euros, and in the "Grabovac" Old People's Home - from 700 to 400 euros, which is increased by 700 euros for the diaper changing service", he specifies. Mijuskovic.
She notes that "the price determination by the board of directors or the director of a public institution is considered illegal by the Protector, to the detriment of the user, and he pointed to that earlier."
Mijušković reminds that the Institute "Komanski most" provides accommodation services for adults with disabilities - moderate, severe and severe intellectual disabilities and disorders from the autistic spectrum.
"Given the condition of the users, and different types of disabilities and illnesses, there is a great need for different levels of support. All the users of the accommodation were deprived of their business capacity, completely, and only one user partially. The condition of the users is such that they are not able to perform daily activities (hygiene, nutrition...) without the support of employees. In addition to mental disorders, there are also people with physical disabilities, users who are immobile or very mobile, and it takes more time to work with them and take care of them (changing clothes, hygiene, feeding, holding or helping when turning, etc.), and strength. "Also, about 70 percent of users use diapers, and there is also a large consumption of medicines and other medical preparations," emphasizes Mijušković.
He also notes that the expert multidisciplinary team of that Institute assesses the degree of support, assigns professional help and the level of that help, but this is not followed by the costs that should realistically go with the type of support.
"In order for the established support to be truly fair, it needs to be applied consistently in practice. In the focus of the work of the institution, the ultimate outcome should be the protection of the best interest of the user. The Protector notes that the employees of the Institute perform responsible and complex work, which they perform with great dedication and empathy. Also, in order for the work to be more efficient, employees need additional training on how to deal with people with mental disabilities, people with autism, and people who show anxiety and aggression...", points out Mijušković.
Because of all this, she emphasizes, the Protector appreciates that the support for their work, with the ultimate goal of better protection of users by the state, should be significantly higher, and in this case expressed through the price of the service, which should not be lower than the prices applied in public institutions for the accommodation of the elderly and persons with disabilities - homes for the elderly.
"At the same time, it should be borne in mind that this is the only institution of its kind in Montenegro," notes Mijušković.
Rulebook from 1994
For Mijušković, it is also disputed that the Ministry's decision is based on the 1994 Rulebook on criteria and standards for determining the prices of services in social welfare institutions.
"We are of the opinion that it is unacceptable that after 30 years, although the circumstances have changed significantly, as well as the overall social situation, the methodology for establishing the price of accommodation services in social and child protection institutions has not changed, but an outdated and currently inapplicable solution is used.
This is all the sooner, since in the meantime the Rulebook on the closer conditions for the provision and use, norms and standards of the accommodation service for adults and the elderly was adopted (2014, with amendments/supplements in 2016, 2018, 2019) in which support for users is classified in four stages", explained Mijušković.
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