Moving children and adults back to their families or community-based homes

"Community for All" partners with the central government and NGOs to transfer children and adults from institutions back to their families or into community-based homes, and offers services such as education, health care, and social care to support them. From 2015 to 2018, some 2000 people benefitted from programme’s community-based services.

Keystone Moldova is non-governmental subsidiary organization of Keystone Human Services International USA that supports and empowers adults and children. Keystone Moldova’s “Community for All” programme partners with the central government and NGOs to support people with intellectual disabilities to live in the community. The initiative transfers children and adults from institutions back to their families or into community-based homes, and offers services such as education, health care, and social care to support them. From 2015 to 2018, some 2000 people benefitted from programme’s community-based services.

Problems Targeted

The lack of social services, limited capacities, and scarce financial resources force persons with intellectual disabilities to remain in residential institutions.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Community for All Moldova Program, together with the government at local and national level, takes a holistic approach to enabling people with intellectual disabilities to live in the community. In addition to supporting those moving out of institutions, the programme also offers comprehensive services to people at risk of institutionalisation. Keystone Moldova purchases from donor funds housing for those moving out of institutions who cannot go back to family homes. A maximum of six people live in each house, where they also benefit from the programme’s support services to help them live more independently. Keystone Moldova works with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection to evaluate the needs of children, adults, and their families. Together, they map existing social services while setting up new ones, such as personal assistance, respite care, inclusive education, community homes, mobile teams, supported employment, and self-determination training. Progress of beneficiaries is then monitored, and adjustments are made as necessary. As of 2018, 100 people had moved out of institutions, with 40 living in seven houses provided by the project. Some 2,000 people are benefitting from new community-based services each year, and 2,625 have been trained in self-determination, including about 2,000 still living in institutions.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

In 2017 the project cost around €1,768,000, with half coming from the government to cover support services and associated salaries. The remaining half is provided by the European Union (20 per cent) the Soros Foundation Moldova (25 per cent); and Keystone Human Services International USA (5 per cent) for property purchasing, renovation, endowment, capacity building activities and advocacy The model has been developed in Moldova and has since been presented to NGOs from Armenia, Azerbaijan, India, Romania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Keystone Moldova has worked with NGOs in Ukraine and Romania to develop similar concepts in both these countries, with funding proposals submitted to the European Union.

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