– The draft act on personal assistance has been included in the list of legislative works – said Łukasz Krasoń, the government's plenipotentiary for people with disabilities, on Friday. A protest was planned for Tuesday, December 3, in front of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister to accelerate work on the regulation.
“We did it! The draft act on personal assistance has been included in the government's list of legislative works!” – wrote Łukasz Krasoń, government plenipotentiary for disabled people, deputy minister of family, labor and social policy, on his profile on the X portal.
– This is a very good act that guarantees the provisions of the Convention UN (on the rights of people with disabilities – ed.), which we committed to implementing years ago, will finally become binding law – said the deputy head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
As he added, “this project is, above all, a chance for people with disabilities to live life to the fullest” – to leave home and take up a job. It means control over your own life and much greater independence, said the government representative.
– The act will create thousands of new jobs, because thanks to it we will be able to employ so many assistants – added Łukasz Krasoń.
Work on the project
In March, Krasoń declared that work on the draft act on personal assistance was advanced. He said then that the ministry would like the systemic solution to come into force in the new year and ultimately also cover people under 18 years of age. At the end of October, the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, said that the project had been included in the government's list of legislative works and was waiting for approval by the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers.
At the beginning of March, the presidential bill on personal assistance for people with disabilities was submitted to the Sejm. In October, he was directed to further work on the committee. The project assumes the availability of the service in every district for people over 18 years of age and financing from the state budget. It provides for 40 to 200 hours of personal assistance per month. On Thursday, the Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia appealed to the government to submit the project to parliament as soon as possible. – I am appealing for the last time to the government, I really am appealing with all my heart, to include this project in the Marshal's favor as soon as possible. People are just waiting for it, we can't wait any longer, he said.
Assumptions of the Act on personal assistance for people with disabilities
Personal assistance is a social service of personalized support provided in a one-on-one relationship, which is necessary to lead as full an independent life as possible. Support may include assistance in maintaining personal hygiene, running a household, communicating with the environment, moving around and taking up life activities – social and professional. Currently, assistant services are provided as part of government programs to which local governments and non-governmental organizations can apply.
The project assumes that a person with a disability will be able to decide whether the service will be provided by an assistant of his/her own choosing or by a person cooperating with non-governmental organizations operating in his/her area or within the system organized by the district.
If she decides to use the intermediation of a non-governmental organization or a district, she will each time have the right to choose an assistant from among at least two people indicated by these entities.
The government information emphasizes that a system of requirements for assistants will be defined, which will include appropriate training and verification of qualifications and competences. This system will also include, in a limited form, information about persons indicated by people with disabilities. Non-governmental organizations that want to provide assistance services will also be subject to certification. The system will be supervised by voivodes and the government plenipotentiary for people with disabilities.
“The scope of hours of assistant services granted to the user will range (according to the draft act) from 30 to 240 hours per month. This means that in the lowest terms, the assistant will provide only a few hours of services a week to a person with a disability,” the government announced. .
The planned date of adoption of the project by the Council of Ministers is the first quarter of 2025.
“The protest is current. We are not giving up”
“Current protest” – wrote Małgorzata Szumowska, social activist and president of the Invisible Education Center foundation, on the X website, in reaction to the information about the project's entry into the government's list of legislative works.
“We are very happy that the government project has been included in the list of works. But we are not giving up, because only pressure will mean that the act may come into force in 2026. Yes! It is a long process!” – she added.
A protest by environmental representatives was planned in front of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister on Tuesday, December 3 – the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The main slogan is: “Act on Personal Assistance for OzN, consistent with the UN Convention – NOW!”.
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