Library

Ledare ur STILETTEN Nr. 1 1993. I: Institutet för Independent Living. 1993. "Hemtjänst i omdaning - möjligheter och decentraliseringens och privatiseringens tid, Dokumentation av STIL-hearing Stockholm 1993." Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs3/stil1993.html#11 (In Swedish.)

Människor som förvärvar sitt funktionshinder efter 65 år missgynnas i jämförelse med de som får en funktionsnedsättning i yngre år: enligt den nuvarande lagen om assistansersättning (LSS) kan de inte få assistansersättning som skulle förbättra deras livskvaliet enligt Adolf Ratzka, verksamhetsledare för Independent Living Institute. Personlig assistans är så mycket billigare per timme än kommunal hemtjänst och andra kommunala insatser och samtidigt så mycket effektivare, hävdar debattartikelns författare, att man borde räkna på de samhällsekonomiska effekterna av att utöka rätten till assistansersättning till alla människor med assistansbehov oavsett ålder eller personkrets.Artikeln publicerades först i Social Vetenskaplig Tidskrift Årgång 21, Nummer 3-4, 2014

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/cib/cibbudapest30.html  

In this presentation Mr Bengt Westerberg, former Swedish Minister of Social Affairs 1991-1994 and leader of the Liberal Party (Folkpartiet), describes the Swedish Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS), puts it in context with other Swedish legislation, and reflects on its societal costs and benefits. The reform utilizes direct payments for freedom of choice, self-determination and personal responsibility and, in this way, differs from traditional Swedish welfare politics where state agencies typically combine the functions of needs assessment, financing, quality control and service provision. Mr Westerberg, who credits the Swedish Independent Living movement for introducing the concept of direct payments for personal assistance to Sweden, succeeded in getting the legislation approved by Parliament during the country's deep economic crisis at the beginning of the 1990's. In Sweden, his personal pride in the legislation he authored is well-known. 

Against the backdrop of the impact of the current economic crisis on persons who depend on practical assistance by other persons with the activities of daily living the author outlines arguments for direct payments for Personmal Assistance services. These services are demand driven, superior in quality and cost-efficiiency to supply driven services such as residential institutions and support the United Nations Convention Article 19 "living independently and being included in the community".

Direct Payments for Personal Assistance make demand-driven services possible that promote freedom of choice and quality. Supply-driven services, on the other hand, are often monopolistic in-kind services that force users to adapt their lives to the needs of the service provider. The Swedish Personal Assistance Act of 1994 is an example of a Direct Payments policy. Its outcome is discussed as well as its implications for the national economy in times of economic crisis.

United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner, Europe Regional Office convened a meeting in Brussels on May 7 2012 "CRPD and EU Structural Funds: The way ahead for Independent Living" to raise awareness about the violation of CRPD Article 19 "Living independently and being included in the community" by using EU Structural Funds for the construction and maintenance of residential institutions. The paper shows how demand-driven direct payments for Personal Assistance services, not only achieve far superior quality of services than residential institutions resulting in higher quality of life for service users at lower costs but also affect a country's economy more favorably. Thus, violating Article 19 of the CRPD is not only illegal but also wasteful in terms of human and monetary capital.

What are the important features of a national policy on personal assistance that is to promote "living independently and being included in the community" "with choices equal to others" and to enable persons with disabilities to fulfill their duties and to enjoy their rights as citizens? The presentation identifies the elements of the Swedish Personal Assistance Act of 1994 that have contributed most to the outcome of this widely acclaimed legislation.

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs6/rajkov1999.html  

Adolf Ratzka, Independent Living Institute, presented at the Second International Conference on Personal Responsibility on the Way to Social Change organized by Jerusalem Center for Independent Living December 2, 2010

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs2/ils99sp.html

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs6/sahr1977.html  

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/taxi/ikapp20030327.html (In Swedish).  

Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs1/pdcnsw99.html