Integrated Services in Rehabilitation - On Coordination of Organisation and Financing

Host Country : Sweden

Place and date : Gothenburg , 4. - 5.12.2006

Peer countries : Cyprus - Greece - Ireland - Norway - Poland - The Netherlands - United Kingdom

Social insurance offices and the health, social, labour and adult education services are cooperating to help people who have been ill or unemployed for a long time.

Many people who have been out of work for a long time due to illness or unemployment need support from various different authorities. Launched in 1997, Sweden’s DELTA project aims to help them by promoting cooperation among the various services concerned. Social insurance offices, the primary health care system and social services are cooperating on 26 related projects in the Gothenburg suburb of Hisingen, together with the county labour board, psychiatric clinics and the adult education system.

Preventive social, medical and work-oriented measures are at the heart of the projects. The aim is to ensure that those in need of assistance receive a better reception and treatment, and that their quality of life is improved.

Evaluation by Gothenburg and Karlstad Universities shows that the collaborative approach has worked well, both for the residents of Hisingen and for the staff concerned. It has also brought economic benefits. The great majority of the participants were satisfied with the DELTA projects. Many have returned to work or have embarked on studies that they have financed themselves.

The cost of the DELTA programme in 2002 was SEK 73.3 million, but this should be set against the considerable savings achieved on social welfare spending. Social assistance costs have decreased more sharply in Hisingen than in the rest of Gothenburg. DELTA’s budget is funded by the participating authorities.

The DELTA project has now been incorporated into a much broader policy reform package popularly called FINSAM. This is based on new legislation which, since 1 January 2004, has permitted financial coordination between local authorities, county councils, social insurance offices and the county labour boards. The aim is to help individuals to support themselves through their own work. The target group consists of people of working age who have such complex problems that they are in need of coordinated rehabilitation measures, implemented by several of the collaborating bodies.

So DELTA and its successor have been promoting active inclusion policies for the people furthest from the labour market.

Agenda - | en |

Peer Review manager

Ms Florence Pauly ( ÖSB Consulting GmbH )

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Integrated Services in Rehabilitation - On Coordination of Organisation and Financing

Host Country : Sweden

Place and date : Gothenburg , 4. - 5.12.2006

Peer countries : Cyprus - Greece - Ireland - Norway - Poland - The Netherlands - United Kingdom

Peer Review manager

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