A series of new services for persons with disabilities have been accredited in Moldova during the past four years, while others are being accredited, Aliona Dumitraș, executive director of the Public Association “SOS Autism”, stated in a news conference at IPN.
She noted that the training staged by the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities the past few years helped to strengthen the team of “SOS Autism” in terms of the social accreditation experience. Owing to the accumulated experience, the Mobile Team service could be accredited and two more services are to be accredited, namely: Social Center for Children and Day Social Center for Adults. “The training we mounted together with the National House or Social Insurance or the National Health Insurance Company took us to a remarkable result for us, which was long awaited. Initially, it was the licensing and accreditation of the first medical center that provides services for persons with autism spectrum disorders. Later, we managed to obtain financing for the primary part of this service from the National Health Insurance Company,” stated Aliona Dumitraș
The public consultation workshops organized the past four years brought about many noticeable changes. “For example, the complementation of the nomenclature of social services made us think about the introduction of a new profession – behavior analyst. This was introduced into the new nomenclature that is to be approved. The amendment of the legislation on public procurement made us work out a new mechanism for acquiring services provided by “SOS Autism” to its beneficiaries and for making this service a state one. It goes to the aforementioned services – Mobile Team and Day Centers,” said the executive director of “SOS Autism”.
Ludmila Iachim, executive director of “Motivație” Association, said the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities consists of over 40 expert organizations. “The activities of the alliance helped to modify the legal framework concerning assisted employment, which is something new for the Republic of Moldova. With the assistance of “Motivație”, we were engaged in the assessment of 11 excellence centers all over the Republic of Moldova. The complex report that was produced and the fact that we reached the representatives of institutions as a result of these assessments and of the report are among our accomplishments. A girl confined to a wheelchair from a village wanted a lot to study. By concerted effort and based on the assessment of the institution that the girl wanted to attend, that college was made accessible and she was offered a separate room where she lived together with a person who helped her,” related Ludmila Iachim.
The give activities were performed as part of the Project “Local Partnerships and National Involvement for the Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities” that was implemented by the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of Moldova (AOPD), with the assistance of East Europe Foundation and in partnership with the Center “Partnership for Development”, with resource provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Government of Sweden.
