Indicator 2(C): Is assistance available to people with mental disabilities to access funding or other support services?
Conclusion:
No specialised assistance is provided to enable people with mental disabilities to access funding.
Explanation:
A general family support service exists which can provide support for both people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems and their families, who have social or mental health issues or who need help because of ‘other crisis situations’.[48] This is a mainstream support service. The aim of the service is to prevent the causes of crises, to bring an end to crises where they have occurred, and to preserve personal and social skills.[49] The service can be initiated through a referral by a notary at the municipality, a social or health service provider, child welfare services, probation officers, legal aid services, NGOs, churches or private persons if they become aware of such a crisis. A person can also, themselves, initiate the service.[50]
Family support services are provided by the local government. A number of different services can be provided: social, lifestyle and mental health counselling, assistance in receiving financial benefits, facilitating the resolution of family conflicts or organising mediation programmes.[51] In 2013, 630 service providers existed – providing services to the population of 2,448 settlements – and 451,053 people used the services offered by them. [52] No data is available on the number of people with mental disabilities who received support from such services.
[48] Section 64(1), ibid.
[49] Ibid.
[50] Section 64(2), ibid.
[51] Section 64(4), ibid.
[52] Hungarian Central Statistical Office, Családsegítő és gyermekjóléti szolgálatok (1998-2013) (Family-support and child-welfare services), available at: http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_eves/i_fsg003.html (last accessed: 23 September 2014).