It has been two years since the Helpline for People with Disabilities was created, but only today it got its regulation and minimum standards approved by the Government.
The service is destined exclusively for people with disabilities and can be called around the clock. The line can receive multiple phone calls simultaneously and can also be accessed via WhatsApp, Viber, Skype or SMS. The provider contracted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection covers the costs of national calls, while the costs of international calls are covered by the callers.
The Ministry says that the regulation aims to maximally reduce cases where the rights of callers are not respected. In particular, the helpline must take all the calls promptly and report any complaints to the relevant authorities without delay. Also, a more effective collaboration needs to be established between the authorities and partner organizations.
Since the line was launched two years ago, over 3,200 calls have been received. Callers receive guidance and counseling and can make complaints. The Ministry has paid over a million lei to the service provider.