The regions ask the government that the financing of the National Fund for non-self-sufficiency continue to be foreseen also in the Budget for 2010 and in the multiannual programme. It is about 500 million euros of transfers to the regions, which have not been confirmed by the government unlike in previous years (2009 state funding of 400 million euros, in 2008 300 million euros). We spoke about this worrying prospect for families, the non self-sufficient and the national system of social and health services in Rome where an important meeting was held between the councilors for social policies of the regions and the councilors for health led by Enrico Rossi. At the conclusion of the meeting we decided to ask, through the president of the Conference of the Regions Vasco Errani, an urgent meeting with the government and the convening of a political table that works promptly to avert a hypothesis that would represent, contrary to what is believed, damage immeasurable for the national budget itself. In fact, with the cut of the National Fund for non-self-sufficiency, in addition to putting a strain on the system of services of the regions, the only result would be to make the health expenditure rise in a short time and in an uncontrolled way, which in recent years has been trying to rationalize. It would no longer be possible to give answers to families and sick people who wanted to stay at home, also to safeguard their dignity and remaining autonomy. Among other things, it must be taken into account that home care, compared to the institutionalization of the non self-sufficient in the structures, represents a much lower expense for the public coffers. As a result of the government not refinancing the National Fund for non-self-sufficiency, we fear, as councilors of the regions in the social and health sectors, an unmanageable increase in requests from the non-self-sufficient to residential structures (which refer to the health expenditure chapter) or to health services with an unsustainable surge in health expenditure. It would be a real contradiction, a contradiction in terms. The regions, on the other hand, and we intend to reiterate this to the government and Minister Sacconi, strongly support the need for greater investment in home care services to protect non-self-sufficiency in order to enhance the responses to non-self-sufficient people, who are more and more and already now represent a 'daily emergency for the national social and health system, but unfortunately still a hidden emergency for the state budget. In all this problematic context, I believe that one thing must be done first of all: to enhance the centrality of the family which already now has a multiplier effect of social benefits and economic savings for the public coffers. An example for all is precisely that of the Veneto. It is estimated that in Veneto there are 80/90 thousand non self-sufficient people registered by the public system. Of these, 24,000 are accommodated in residential structures with expenditure for the region of 470 million euro in 2008; 25,000 are assisted at home, in their homes, with economic aid and services from the region at a cost of 70 million euros. The difference speaks for itself. Finally, as regards the Veneto specifically, I would like to remind you that we are awaiting the scheduling of the draft law on the establishment of the regional fund for non-self-sufficiency in the short term in the regional council. We are the first region in Italy to move on this terrain. In short, the question of self-sufficiency is central to the maintenance of the social system. It is therefore necessary for the government to rethink these aspects of its financial policy for the good of all.* councilor for pol
