Changing welfare: Piedmont invests €18 million from the European Social Fund.
Building a new welfare model. This is the request we've repeatedly received in recent months from Piedmont's social cooperatives, faced with rising costs and growing needs (we've written about it here and here ). The first step is being taken today by the Piedmont Region , which, following its announcement last May, has officially approved "Social Protection," an innovative measure that provides €18 million for facilities hosting patients affiliated with the regional health service and for semi-residential care. It is the first region in Italy to propose such a program, financed by the European Social Fund : "Each affiliated guest will have a personalized care plan to ensure better care and more activities," declared President Alberto Cirio , who explained in a statement that he personally presented the project to the heads of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment.
Avoid increasing fees for families and, at the same time, avoid penalizing facilities , which have faced rising costs in recent years. This is the measure's dual purpose: "More resources translate into more care services for our elderly and more qualified staff," adds Cirio. To achieve this, the new intervention allocates €18 million, "in addition to the €22.4 million that the Region allocated in 2024 to nursing home management entities, plus €14 million earmarked for disability, mental health, addictions, and minors. For these items, the budget increased from €275 million to €289 million (an increase of €36 million in 2024 compared to 2023)."
The measure greenlights the introduction of a new personalized care model within residential and semi-residential facilities affiliated with the national health service . According to the Region, this project is "built around the needs of those experiencing long-term hospitalization and vulnerability. Psychological support interventions are designed to maintain cognitive abilities, reduce anxiety, overcome depression, and initiate physiotherapy and rehabilitation activities, with elements of occupational reactivation. Among the objectives are strengthening relationships with families and supporting, where possible, individuals outside of the facilities, supporting their recovery to a more independent life. Each intervention will be the result of the joint work of multiple professionals, called upon to address complex individual situations."
The potential beneficiaries are approximately 30,000 , including non-self-sufficient elderly people, minors with neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, people with disabilities, people with mental disorders, and people with pathological addictions. The local health authorities will be responsible for coordinating the entire project and ensuring it is implemented equally throughout Piedmont. Local health authorities will submit experimental projects , involving the facilities that choose to participate, which will then receive reimbursement for each personalized care plan (PAP).
The project is part of the 2021-2027 European Social Fund Plus program and involves the regional directorates of Health, Welfare, Education, and Employment, in a joint effort that also includes staff training and the involvement of families. "This measure is the result of a political vision that focuses on the dignity of the individual, the protection of families, and concrete attention to the most vulnerable. Governing means taking responsibility for courageous choices," comments Elena Chiorino , Vice President of the Piedmont Region.
The measure was presented this morning at the RSA Roundtable, which brings together care facility managers. Barbara Daniele, head of LegacoopSociali Piemonte , calls it "a measure long-awaited by our social cooperatives, which in recent years have faced significant increases in labor and overhead costs. The measure is not a structural measure with respect to rates; it represents a one-off payment granted to guests who have signed up through participating facilities, which will demonstrate the provision of a personalized care plan for their guests. However, it is a sign of investment in the local welfare system , a system that Legacoop's social cooperatives contributes every day to making effective, accessible, and high-quality, and which needs to be adequately supported and recognized."
Enrico Pesce , president of Confcooperative Federsolidarietà , also welcomes the fact that the commitments made are reaching the operational stage: "The technical working groups and the 'Social Protection' measure are important signals. The Region has finally grasped the importance of including semi-residential services among the services eligible for the measure, which are essential for promoting home care and inclusion. We have also been listened to regarding the need to develop a 360-degree welfare vision, encompassing all vulnerable groups , and not just focusing on services for the elderly. We are confident that this measure will be a starting point for the continuous improvement of services for individuals."
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The opening image shows a moment from the event organized for the 35+1 anniversary of the Stranaidea social cooperative (Photo by Domenico Grossi)
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