With the legislative initiative of the Government, the family security assessment system is completely revised. At the extraordinary sitting of the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs on August 29, the law on Social Assistance and the legislative package providing for amendments and addenda to the related laws were debated.
The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Anna Zhamakochyan informed that the newly edited law proposes to define the types of new services, powers, as well as the standards set by the Government. “The target is people and families in a difficult life situation. In particular, it is proposed to define new types of social services in the social sphere”, the Deputy Minister mentioned. According to the draft law, the authorized body has been empowered.
The notion of ‘situation requiring an urgent response’ and the specifics of providing social services related to it were also defined by the draft law. The new subjects of providing social assistance were also confirmed. The Deputy Minister noted that the Unified Social Service has been entrusted with the authority to assess family insecurity, comprehensive assessment and case management.
According to Anna Zhamakochyan, the communities have the right to provide the social services that will be developed by the community social programmes, which will be approved by the authorized body.
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“Are there any clear regulations that will promote the establishment of social work in the communities?” the Committee member Zaruhi Batoyan inquired.
“Identifying families in a problematic and difficult situation, recording visible problems and transferring them to the Unified Social Service is entrusted to the communities and this will help in the development of community social programmes. With this draft, the Ministry is also committed to developing a unified information system for the social protection sector,” Anna Zhamakochyan explained.
The Deputy Minister also answered other questions of the Committee members.
The Committee Chair Heriknaz Tigranyan presented proposals. In particular, it was proposed to give the Head of the state authorized body in the field of social assistance the right to approve forms and guidelines within the scope of this law. The other two proposals related to the rights and responsibilities of the social supporter.
The Committee endorsed the legislative initiative. It was proposed to be included in the draft agendas of the eighth session of the National Assembly and the NA regular sittings starting on September 9.
Heriknaz Tigranyan also informed that a public debate will be organized with the participation of the industry representatives and the interested persons in the period after its adoption in the first reading until its adoption in the second reading.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
