1 / 2

The legal field of the social assistance sector, the system of the integrated social services will be improved, new types of social services will be defined. The RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Services Anna Zhamakochyan said at the NA regular sitting on September 10, presenting the legislative package on Social Assistance and designing amendments and addenda to related laws.

The Deputy Minister informed that with the new edited law it is proposed to define new types of services, authorities, as well as criteria set by the Government. New types of social services will be defined by the legislative package, for example, assistance in stabilizing family livelihoods, socio-psychological assistance, reduction of housing utility payments, compensation for the purchase of fuel. Power was reserved to the authorized body by the draft law to define the minimum standards of vital services, particularly, regarding the care, the organization of the canteen, providing accommodation in a temporary shelter in the social housing fund. State control will be exercised over their maintenance by the RA Health and Labor Inspection Body.

According to Anna Zhamakochyan, the communities are competent to provide the social services, which will be revised with community social programmes, which will approve the authorizing body.

The co-rapporteur, the member of the RA NA Standing Committee on Labor and Social Affairs Lilit Stepanyan noted that while working on the legislative package experience of 14 countries was studied. According to her, the proposing amendments are complete and comprehensive. The MP divided the main logic of the draft into 2 main, key directions. One is to prevent the social condition of the person or the family appearing in difficult situation of the life, which they cannot overcome on their own, the second is to provide certain social assistance to the person or family appeared in that situation.