Integrated Social Integrated Social Services Services in Armenia in Armenia

Case StudyCase Study

By By Lyudmila Lyudmila HarutyunyanHarutyunyan

Warsaw 2007Warsaw 2007

Country ProfileCountry Profile2001 2002 2003 2005

Population (millions) 3.200 3.200 3.211 3.215

GDP per capita (USD, mil) 662 722 873 4.903

GDP annual growth (%) 9.6 12.9 13.9 14.0

Labor force, total (thsd. people) 1264,9 1106,41107,

6 1097.8

Unemployment, (% of total labor force) 9.8 9.0 9.7 8.2

Poverty rate (% of population) 50.9 49.7 42.9 29.8

Urban, % 51.9 52.6 49.7 64.1

Rural,% 48.7 45.3 47.5 35.9

Gini coefficient (per capita) 0.53 0.45 0.43 0.35

Spending on Social Protection (% of GDP) 2.2 1.7 1.8 1.8

Objectives of social policy

• Social protection of the population Social protection of the population • Reduction of the povertyReduction of the poverty• Povision of Povision of the means-tested programs to the means-tested programs to

vulnerable families vulnerable families

Main institutions involved in the Main institutions involved in the delivery of the means-tested delivery of the means-tested

programprogram

Main institutions involved in Main institutions involved in the delivery of the means-the delivery of the means-

tested programstested programsRSSA – processing Poverty Family BenefitsRSSA – processing Poverty Family Benefits

RELA – processing Unemployment Benefit Claims, and RELA – processing Unemployment Benefit Claims, and providing access to training and jobsproviding access to training and jobs

SIF- processing all types of Pensions claims, and accepting SIF- processing all types of Pensions claims, and accepting social-insurance related documents from employerssocial-insurance related documents from employers

SMEC - carrying out examinations to assess the disability SMEC - carrying out examinations to assess the disability

status of a customer, and to provide advice on status of a customer, and to provide advice on further further

treatmenttreatment

Social Assistance unit in regional governmental bodySocial Assistance unit in regional governmental body

Targeting: Application processTargeting: Application process

APPLICATIONAPPLICATIONPROCESSPROCESS Birth RegistrationBirth Registration

PolyclinicPolyclinic

Medical CommissionMedical Commission

Social InsuranceFundSocial InsuranceFund

Employment AgencyEmployment Agency

Community Social ServicesOffice

Community Social ServicesOffice

Regional Social Regional Social ServiceServicessCenterCenterRegional Social Regional Social ServiceServicessCenterCenter

REQUIRED DOCUMENTSREQUIRED DOCUMENTS1. Marriage certificate1. Marriage certificate 9. Certificate on the status of 9. Certificate on the status of

unemploymentunemployment

2. Copy of certificate from SMEC 2. Copy of certificate from SMEC confirming disability and certificate from confirming disability and certificate from pension granting body pension granting body

10. Certificate on the size and type of 10. Certificate on the size and type of land, amount of livestock in the peasant land, amount of livestock in the peasant farm or in the personal homestead landfarm or in the personal homestead land

3. Identification 3. Identification 11. Marriage certificate11. Marriage certificate

4. Copy of a parent/parents death certificate 4. Copy of a parent/parents death certificate and certificate from pension granting bodyand certificate from pension granting body

12. Certificate from the employment 12. Certificate from the employment regional centerregional center

5. Certificate on the size of pension (labor, 5. Certificate on the size of pension (labor, social, etc.) social, etc.)

13. Certificate of the family 13. Certificate of the family composition, number of family memberscomposition, number of family members

6. Certificate from university, confirming 6. Certificate from university, confirming the student's free education the student's free education

14. Application statement14. Application statement

7. Bill of divorce7. Bill of divorce 15. Certificate form pension granting 15. Certificate form pension granting bodybody

8. Birth certificate for children under 2 and 8. Birth certificate for children under 2 and from 2 up to 18 y.o.from 2 up to 18 y.o.

16. Certificate from women’s 16. Certificate from women’s consultation officeconsultation office

The Problems of Regional The Problems of Regional Social ServicesSocial Services Evidences Evidences

from the fieldfrom the field• MManagement and control of income support services,anagement and control of income support services,• AAccess for the citizen to social services ccess for the citizen to social services • DDelivery of social serviceselivery of social services, , ccustomer service ustomer service • Complex Complex application for benefits and pensionsapplication for benefits and pensions• TThe administration of social benefits programshe administration of social benefits programs• AAuditing and monitoring of benefits distributionuditing and monitoring of benefits distribution

Risk of corruptionRisk of corruption

• 55% of recipients had to pay for registration forms55% of recipients had to pay for registration forms• 33% of recipients had to pay for copies of documents33% of recipients had to pay for copies of documents• 10% of recipients have to pay application fee10% of recipients have to pay application fee• 10% had to thank for the positive decision in money or to give a 10% had to thank for the positive decision in money or to give a

presentpresent• 75% did not pay themselves but know somebody that paid75% did not pay themselves but know somebody that paid• 51% believe that decision should be made on strictly objective 51% believe that decision should be made on strictly objective

criteriacriteria

Source: GTZ project on poverty and social assessment of selected social policies in Armenia 2005

Integrated Social Service Integrated Social Service Center Center

• The first pilot site for testing the model of better social services delivery was established in Vanadzor, Lori Marz in March 2004.

• A second pilot ISSC site was opened in Masis, Ararat Marz, in November 2004.

The objectivesThe objectives of ISSCof ISSC• to provide a more integrated approach to the administration, to provide a more integrated approach to the administration,

delivery, delivery,

management and control of income support services,management and control of income support services,• to improve access for the citizen to social services to improve access for the citizen to social services • tto improve delivery of social services, io improve delivery of social services, iImprove Customer Improve Customer

ServiceService

• To make an application for benefits and pensions as To make an application for benefits and pensions as simple as possiblesimple as possible

• To speed up procedures and processing time needed for To speed up procedures and processing time needed for social service provisionsocial service provision

• To improve the administration of social benefits programsTo improve the administration of social benefits programs• To reduce the incidence of fraud and corruption, To reduce the incidence of fraud and corruption, to have to have

better auditing and monitoring of benefits distribution. better auditing and monitoring of benefits distribution.

• To enable the NGOs, become more directly involved and To enable the NGOs, become more directly involved and interact with the other Services of ISSCinteract with the other Services of ISSC

ISSC Components• RegionalRegional Social Service Agency (RSSA) – RSSA) –

processing Poverty Family Benefits processing Poverty Family Benefits • Regional Employment and Labor Service AgencyRegional Employment and Labor Service Agency

(RELA) – processing RELA) – processing • Unemployment Benefit Claims, and providing Unemployment Benefit Claims, and providing

access to training and jobsaccess to training and jobs• State Social Insurance Fund (SIF)- processing all State Social Insurance Fund (SIF)- processing all

types of Pensions claims, and accepting social-types of Pensions claims, and accepting social-insurance related documents from employersinsurance related documents from employers

• Socio-Medical Examination CommissionSocio-Medical Examination Commission (SMEC) - SMEC) - carrying out examinations to assess the disability carrying out examinations to assess the disability status of a customer, and to provide advice on status of a customer, and to provide advice on further treatmentfurther treatment

• NGO representation – providing advice on NGO representation – providing advice on additional help that may be available, training in additional help that may be available, training in non-work-related topics, and advocacynon-work-related topics, and advocacy

Additional functions

• ISSC is extended its role as the social support hub of ISSC is extended its role as the social support hub of a locality:a locality:

• ISSC is a Center for NGO network ISSC is a Center for NGO network • ISSC has a community resource center, ISSC has a community resource center, • ISSC provides place for senior citizen’s clubs, ISSC provides place for senior citizen’s clubs,

playgroups for childrenplaygroups for children• Social work training distance learning center is also Social work training distance learning center is also

situated in ISSC, to allow locally based social work situated in ISSC, to allow locally based social work trainees to participate in training provided by trainees to participate in training provided by Yerevan State UniversityYerevan State University

• ISSC is further extendingISSC is further extending the services which operate he services which operate around each component of the Center. Eg. RELA has around each component of the Center. Eg. RELA has it’s own training room, a job club assisting people it’s own training room, a job club assisting people with finding work, Youth training and employment with finding work, Youth training and employment center, NGOs are running Legal advice center, center, NGOs are running Legal advice center, Social Support Center, Center for Psychological Social Support Center, Center for Psychological SupportSupport

The steps of ISSC creation• Needs assessments: Sociological Survey with customers, Needs assessments: Sociological Survey with customers,

specialists, community leaders, NGO representatives specialists, community leaders, NGO representatives • Concept design, preparation of documentation Concept design, preparation of documentation • co-locating all social services in one building co-locating all social services in one building • creating a more open and transparent appeals systemcreating a more open and transparent appeals system• improving the administration of social benefits programs improving the administration of social benefits programs

by by – streamlining administrative procedures, streamlining administrative procedures, – designing systems for shared databases designing systems for shared databases – reducing the need for certificates to be written, reducing the need for certificates to be written, – providing more intensive and regular training of staff, providing more intensive and regular training of staff, – making more efficient use of staff and technical resources making more efficient use of staff and technical resources

among the co-located officesamong the co-located offices• improving the auditing system of social benefits.improving the auditing system of social benefits. • enhancing and extending the range of social services enhancing and extending the range of social services

available through close cooperation with NGOs working available through close cooperation with NGOs working in the health and social sectors and with the in the health and social sectors and with the municipality municipality

• Creating additional units to provide additional services Creating additional units to provide additional services

Outcomes of ISSCOutcomes of ISSC• families and individuals have a simpler access to social families and individuals have a simpler access to social

servicesservices

which are available under one roofwhich are available under one roof • Customer service is improved Customer service is improved • Administration of Social Services is improvedAdministration of Social Services is improved• A data exchange capacity through a local server is A data exchange capacity through a local server is

improvedimproved• A fraud and corruption are reducedA fraud and corruption are reduced• Staff is trainedStaff is trained• A community resource center which operates in ISSC A community resource center which operates in ISSC

provides access to local information and connects State provides access to local information and connects State and local social programs and local social programs

NGOs are providing assistance to citizens in addition to NGOs are providing assistance to citizens in addition to state benefits and other supportstate benefits and other support

referral systems of people to local NGOs providing social referral systems of people to local NGOs providing social services and humanitarian assistance is operating services and humanitarian assistance is operating

The remained issues

• The problem of the administration of the The problem of the administration of the programs programs

• The absence of outreach programs to improve the availability of

• information and access to services for vulnerable population groups

• The lack of financial, technical and human The lack of financial, technical and human resources.resources.

• There is a lack of mechanisms and tools for users There is a lack of mechanisms and tools for users participation in monitoring and evaluating of social participation in monitoring and evaluating of social services services

Our gratitude for creation of ISSC

• To Government of Armenia, Ministry of Labor

and Social Issues • USAID and PADCO • Yerevan State University • Regional Government of Lori and Ararat

regions

• Communities of Vanadzor and Masis• International programs