News item | 27-01-2023 | 3:30 pm
In order to better help people with multiple problems, the Multiple Problems in the Social Domain Act (Wams) has been submitted to the House of Representatives. The Wams provides that municipalities are given the legal option to arrive at a coordinated approach for people or families with multiple problems. In this way, that help can be properly coordinated. With this bill it can be ensured that municipalities and other organizations involved that help these families can exchange data more easily.
State Secretary Van Ooijen of Health, Welfare and Sport: “Some families have multiple problems for which different organizations are looking for a solution. Think of the situation where it is wise for a parent to stay at home for the children, but who is deployed at work because of the social assistance benefit. Or an elderly lady who cares for her husband with early dementia, but can no longer offer that help due to an accident. With the Wams, municipalities and organizations will soon be more successful in solving problems together, so that these people can be better helped.”
Necessary changes
Helping people with multiple problems within the social domain demands a lot from municipalities and professionals: all parties must work well together to arrive at a joint solution. At the moment, data exchange between these parties is insufficiently regulated by law. This ensures that a mutually coordinated approach to the problem often fails. This is one of the main bottlenecks that the Wams will soon solve. In addition, it also ensures that people do not always have to provide the same information to the municipality. However, the exchange of data is subject to conditions: only those data that are necessary to jointly arrive at a coordinated approach may be shared. Above all, the people concerned are always involved.
In order for the Wams to work properly, it is necessary that the services for the social domain at municipalities are set up correctly. For example, the counters for care, youth care, social assistance, debt assistance and social support must be able to work well together. This is not yet the case in many municipalities. In addition, coordination may also be necessary with parties outside the municipality, such as healthcare and educational institutions and the police. The Association of Dutch Municipalities, the national government and other organizations involved work together to support municipalities in setting up their integrated services. The intended entry into force of the bill is on 1 January 2024.