The canton of Neuchâtel supports the development of alternatives to institutional placement for people with a disability, addiction or those affected by great precariousness. A credit of nearly seven million francs is requested to create new forms of adapted housing.
“We must both allow self-determined life choices for people with disabilities, respond to the increasing complexity of the care needs of the most vulnerable and dependent and control the growth in costs,” declared Florence Nater, advisor to State in charge of social cohesion.
“This planning also responds to political requests and should allow a better match between places and needs,” added Florence Nater.
Long wait times
Currently, wait times can be long. Between 2018 and 2024, 36 people living with a mental disability waited between seven months and a year and a half for a place in accommodation. For a person with aggressive behavior towards themselves and others, the maximum wait is two years.
“The benefit system is influenced by factors such as a reduction in EMS beds, a reduction in the duration of hospitalizations and closures of homes,” explained Magaly Hanselmann, head of the support and accommodation service at the “The increase in volume and complexity leads to saturation,” she said.
Four strategic axes
The Council of State has identified four strategic axes for the period 2025-2029. According to him, we must continue the outpatient shift and consolidate home support offers.
-The government also wants to provide a global response to the increasing complexity of situations and emerging needs. “We will work, for example, with existing stakeholders to review the model of support for people suffering from chronic addiction and move from a model advocating abstinence to one involving controlled consumption,” explained Florence Nater. For mixed disabilities, the offer will also have to be rethought.
The institutional service system will be optimized and management will be improved. The government wants to control the growth of costs in this area, which have increased by 80% since 2008. To achieve this objective, it is counting on the combined effects of the various proposed measures. The foreseeable additional costs will nevertheless be around 10 million francs for the years 2025-2029.
Currently, the 1700 places in institutions cost the canton 83 million francs. In total, 21 additional accommodation places should be created by 2029. But double that number would be needed, without implementing the shift in outpatient care and pilot projects.
ats/ami
Swiss
