1. Common European Guidelines and Toolkit on the use of European Union Funds for the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care
Ines Bulic, UN OHCHR Consultant for Western Balkans
European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care (EEG)
3 May 2013

2. Overview of the presentation
About the European Expert Group
Common European Guidelines on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care
Toolkit on the use of European Union funds

3. About EEG
Broad coalition gathering stakeholders representing people with care or support needs including children, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health problems, families; as well as service providers, public authorities and intergovernmental organisations.

4. Achievements so far
Report of the Ad Hoc Expert Group (so-called Commissioner Špidla’s Report) (2009)
Advising European Commission (DG EMPL and DG REGIO) on the use of EU SF in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia
Advising the Member States, for example Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia

5. Why the Guidelines?
“Though governments increasingly recognise the inevitability of deinstitutionalisation, there is less clarity with regard to the mechanisms that replace institutionalisation and what would constitute a human rights-based response.” COE Human Rights Commissioner, 2012

6. Objectives of the Guidelines
Offer expertise and impartial advice to Member States and EU institutions
Gather and promote practical examples of good practice
Raise awareness about the right to live in the community at EU level
Ensure that EU and national policies and funding mechanisms support DI
Encourage Member States to fully involve user groups

7. Key elements
“Common” means children, people with disabilities, incl. people with mental health problems, and older people
Tailored to Member States at different stages in the process of transition
Guidance on how to ensure actions taken are in line with the CRPD, CRC and the ECHR
Key guidance outlining risks and challenges in the process
Case studies presenting good practice
Emphasis on management, cross-sectoral coordination and user involvement

8. Holistic approach to DI
Development of high-quality, individualised services in the community, including those aimed at preventing institutionalisation and the transfer of resources from institutions to the new services
Planned closure of long-stay residential institutions, including a moratorium on the building of new institutions
Making mainstream services accessible and available to individuals with a variety of support needs

9. Making the case for developing community-based alternatives to institutions
Assessment of the situation
Developing a strategy and an action plan
Establishing the legal framework for community-based services
Developing a range of services in the community
Allocating financial, material and human resources
Developing individual plans
Supporting individuals and communities during transition
Defining, monitoring and evaluating the quality of services
Developing the workforce

10. Why the Toolkit?

11. Key elements of the Toolkit
Main principles and the legal context
Programming stage
Implementation
Monitoring and evaluation
What we mean by DI
Human rights argument for DI
Potential of EU funds
Current regulations
Draft regulations
Checklist for Partnership contracts
Indicative list of actions for ESF and ERDF
Output and result indicators for ESF and ERDF
Operational Programmes checklists
Checklist for the selection of projects
Checklist for monitoring
Lessons learned
Checklist for evaluations

12. Potential for change in the next programming period
Supporting structural change in the health and social care systems
Combining investments into infrastructure with workforce development and improving mainstream services
Supporting sustainable reforms
Promoting social innovation
Simplified rules

13. Common Provisions Regulation
Objective on promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
Need to comply with EU and national law (i.e. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
Prevention of discrimination
Ex ante conditionalities
Thematic – strategy for a shift from residential to community-based care
General – mechanism to ensure effective implementation of UN CRPD

14. Fund specific regulations
“Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty” an investment priority
Explicit reference to transition from institutional to community-based care
Principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination

15. Common Strategic Framework
Transition from institutional to community-based care as one of key ESF and ERDF actions
General implementation principle: the CSF funds may not be used for actions contributing to any form of segregation and discrimination
Other key actions such as education and enhancing institutional capacity

16. www.deinstitutionalisationguide.eu Available Coming soon English
German
French
Czech
Bulgarian
Romanian
Croatian
Lithuanian
Greek
Hungarian
Polish
Russian
Ukrainian
Slovak

17. Contact information
Ines Bulic Thank you!