Social protection in Georgia will be able to welcome 2024 with some important news. Within the framework of an initiative, which was carried out with the assistance of the Czech Republic Government, people with disabilities who live in large boarding homes in Dusheti or Martkofi municipalities, will be moved into new, family-type housing. This support is part of the large-scale assistance of the Czech Development Agency, which aimed to promote the start of independent living of the beneficiaries under state care and, by working on relevant legislative initiatives, to support the Government of Georgia in the process of deinstitutionalization.
Adults with disabilities are moving to a new environment
Even though the deinstitutionalization process for adults with disabilities in Georgia began in 2010-2011, due to its complexity, the process is still ongoing. In 2020, at the initiative of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the Agency for State Care and Assistance for the Victims of Human Trafficking, within the framework of a project funded by the Czech Development Agency, Caritas Czech Republic developed a 2023-2030 strategy and action plan for independent living and deinstitutionalization of persons with disabilities which were approved accordingly by the Ministry in 2023.
In close collaboration with their Czech counterparts and the State Care Agency of Georgia, the Ministry of Health of Georgia and experts in the field, they defined the main directions of work, assessed the needs of each beneficiary with a complex method, and prepared relevant standards. Some of the beneficiaries who lived in boarding houses in Dusheti or Martkopi before have now moved into new family-type homes where they can now benefit from community-based services.
“In Georgia, the process of deinstitutionalization of large boarding houses and developing appropriate alternative care services has been successfully underway for several years. This process is in its final phase, and the few remaining boarding houses are going through the process of deinstitutionalization. New alternative care support services were created where beneficiaries of the boarding houses mentioned can continue to live in an independent environment according to their wishes and interests.
Importance of the deinstitutionalization strategy and action plan
Maguli Shaghashvili is Caritas Czech Republic’s project expert. She tells us the most important part of Caritas Czech Republic’s vision was the fact that the first stage of the work began not with documents, but with an assessment and study of the people who lived in Dusheti boardinghouses and Martkopi boardinghouses – “we needed to study their needs, attitudes, and desires.”
During the initial phase of the project, a team of psychologists and occupational therapists was formed, along with social workers, doctors and psychiatrists. This team worked with both the beneficiaries and the boarding-house staff.
“It was crucial to understand the attitudes of people with disabilities towards the change of residence, and their fears. Many of them ended up living in a boarding home straight from the maternity homes, not because their families were having financial problems, but because they felt stigmatized by society. That is why it would be a big mistake not to look at the process of deinstitutionalization from their perspective. This evaluation showed us the best way to set up a service.”
Initially, Caritas Czech Republic started working on the deinstitutionalization strategy and action plan with the Ministry of Health of Georgia and the State Care Agency of Georgia. Discussions with persons with disabilities and service provider organisations continued. As a result of this cooperation, the parties have established a strategy that primarily considers the prevention of institutionalization – what type of support a child, an adult, and their families need in order not to be at risk of institutionalization.
“That’s why we worked with the state to create a deinstitutionalization prevention mechanism that combines local and central government resources. Prevention is important. In this regard, a personal assistant whose standards have been approved by the government is also essential,” says Maguli shaghashvili.
Families-type homes are important for adults with disabilities
There is only one type of alternative housing available for adults with disabilities at this stage – small family services, where 5-6 people reside. The more people and staff that are crammed into these homes, the more likely it is to become an institution. Caritas Czech Republic, with the help of the Czech Development Agency and the assistance of six family-type homes, acquired, rehabilitated and handed them over to the State Care Agency for the transfer of adults with disabilities who lived in the large boardinghouses of Dusheti or Martkopi.
“Deinstitutionalization of large boarding houses is a complex process that requires a lot of effort from all involved parties. This is not only a physical transfer from large housing to alternative service but also a major social change, which means starting a new, independent life, realizing the rights and systemic changes of persons with disabilities. To ensure sustainability and irreversibility and to complete this process, it is important to strengthen the institutionalization prevent mechanism and provide alternative and supportive services.
Caritas Czech Republic works with the Government of the Czech Republic to protect the rights of people with disabilities and to provide them with the services they need. Since 2020, we have been implementing a large-scale initiative within the framework of which we have been supporting the Government of Georgia in the process of deinstitutionalization. The initiative envisaged the creation of a suitable legislation, and the provision of homes and services of a family-type for people with disabilities who are under state care.
“Since 2020 Czechia has supported the Government of Georgia, through our partner Caritas Czech Republic, to establish a national system of alternative care for adults with disabilities. The main goal was to create conditions that would allow the transition of services from large boarding schools to more convenient and suitable family-based premises. I know that some clients have already been transferred from large institutions and are happy with the results. I hope that their quality of life will improve significantly.” says Jana Zelingerova. She is the Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of the Czech Republic to Georgia.
This material was developed as part of a program funded by the Official Development Assistance of the Czech Republic, and implemented in partnership between the Czech Development Agency and Caritas Czech Republic.
By Nina Kopaleshvili
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