Scorecard

Cluster One: Community living and choice

The indicators in this cluster reflect the requirements of Article 19(a) of the CRPD which states:

Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement.

No.

Indicator

Measure

Conclusion

1(A)

People with mental disabilities are not required to live in institutions.

How many people with mental disabilities live in institutions?

Approximately 100,000 people with disabilities live in institutions. Disaggregated statistics are not made available by the Czech government.

1(B)

People with mental disabilities must get access to the same housing options that are available to the general population.

What housing options are available to people with mental disabilities?

For many people with mental disabilities, institutionalisation continues to remain the main form of housing made available. Some of these institutions are unregistered and unregulated.

1(C)

There should be a moratorium on new admissions to social care institutions.

Are there limits or a moratorium on new admissions to institutions?

No, there is no limit on new admissions to the Czech Republic’s numerous residential institutions.

1(D)

The choices of people mental disabilities about where and with whom they live are recognised and validated by the law.

Does the law respect the choices of people with disabilities about where and with whom they live and which services they receive?

Recent reforms to the Civil Code have increased the recognition of the choices of people with mental disabilities, however their decisions can still be invalidated and there is a bias towards substituted decision-making.

1(E)

The law recognises the right of people with mental disabilities to enter contracts for accommodation and the use of social services.

Can people with mental disabilities enter into contracts and agreements for disability-related supports, credit agreements to purchase housing, rental or other housing agreements?

Some people with mental disabilities can enter into contracts, but these can be invalidated by third parties.

1(F)

People with mental disabilities can access support to choose where and with whom they live.

Do people with disabilities have access to support to enable them to make decisions about where and with whom to live or what support services to access?

The new Civil Code guarantees access to support for people with mental disabilities to make choices in their lives, but in practice this is not available to the majority.

1(G)

People with mental disabilities can challenge decisions made by others about where and with whom they live.

Can people with mental disabilities access effective mechanisms if they want to complain about their right to live in the community?

No effective legal mechanisms are available to people with mental disabilities to challenge a denial of their right to live in the community. 

Cluster Two: Access to individualised support services

The indicators in this cluster reflect the requirements of Article 19(b) of the CRPD which states:

Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other support services, including personal assistance where necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community.

No.

Indicator

Measure

Conclusion

2(A)

People with mental disabilities have a personal budget enabling them to choose the support they need.

Are personal budgets available which enable people with mental disabilities to choose the appropriate support they need to live in the community?

Social benefits provide a contribution to care for people with disabilities with the intention of enabling them to choose the support they need, but in reality these benefits are frequently used to remunerate family members providing care.

2(B)

Personal assistance is provided to people with mental disabilities to support them to live in the community.

Is personal assistance available to support people with mental disabilities to remain and live in the community?

Personal assistance, day care services and support for independent living exist, however these are not available to all, particularly in rural areas.

2(C)

People with mental disabilities receive support to access funding or specialised support services.

Is assistance available to people with mental disabilities to access funding or other support services?

Personal assistance can provide support to people with mental disabilities to access funding or other specialised support, but this is not available to all.

2(D)

Financial and practical support is available to families and carers of people with mental disabilities.

Is support available to families/carers of people with mental disabilities? Examples include benefits, remuneration of family members for providing personal assistance, and day care.

Respite care and some financial support is available to families.

2(E)

Day services are provided for people with mental disabilities in a way which supports their inclusion in the community.

Are day services provided that can support people with mental disabilities to stay in the community?

Day care centres exist but they are underdeveloped in rural parts of the country.

2(F)

Government funding is used to develop community-based services rather than funding residential institutions.

Does the government manage its budget in a way which advances the right of people with disabilities to live in the community?

The Czech government continues to spend more on financing institutions than developing community-based services, including EU funds.

Cluster Three: Access to mainstream services

The indicators in this cluster reflect the requirements of Article 19(c) of the CRPD which states:

Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.

No.

Indicator

Measure

Conclusion

3(A)

People with mental disabilities are guaranteed access to education in mainstream and inclusive settings.

Do people with mental disabilities get access to mainstream education? Is it inclusive and responsive to their individual needs?

No. The majority of people with mental disabilities are educated in segregated schools and the government fails to make supports available for children with disabilities to be educated in mainstream schools.

3(B)

People with mental disabilities are supported to access the open labour market.

Do people with mental disabilities get access to mainstream employment? Is the employment system sufficiently inclusive?

No. The majority of people with mental disabilities are excluded from the labour market. Government schemes favour sheltered employment rather than access to the open labour market.

Cluster Four: Transition from institutions to the community

The indicators in this cluster reflect the obligation of governments to take concrete steps to move away from congregate, institutional models of accommodating people with mental disabilities, towards supporting them to live independently in the community within a reasonable timeframe.

No.

Indicator

Measure

Conclusion

4(A)

The government has adopted a national community living strategy that effectively advances the right to live in the community for all people with mental disabilities.

Is there a satisfactory national community living strategy?

No. The current national strategy has a very limited scope and fails to advance the right to community living for the majority of people with mental disabilities.

4(B)

The government has undertaken pilot projects to develop models for moving people out of institutions and into the community.

Are there pilot projects on community living? Are they effective and inclusive enough?

Yes, there are a number of promising pilot projects which the Czech government should scale up.