The Dutch model for addressing homelessness involves strong cooperation between the national government, municipalities, and social entrepreneurs. The key elements are a legal framework that defines roles, a strategy plan focused on personalized treatment and seamless cooperation between local partners, and sufficient funding. An assessment found the model effectively addresses homelessness through contracted cooperation between municipalities and NGOs, though questions remain about all cities' ability to implement it.

1. The key role of the voluntary
sector
The Dutch model assessed
Jaap van den Berg
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Department of Social Support
Oslo 19 juni 2007

2. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Headlines
• The Dutch model
– Capacity and Financing
– Legal framework
– Division of roles
• The Strategy Plan for social Relief
– The secret of the broad involvement
– The formula for succes
– The key elements
• The assessment of the model
– Adressing homelessness
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3. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Overview institutions homeless
capacity
24-hour crisis centre 784
24-hour care 709
24-hour accommodation 3570
Guided housing 3113
Day-care centre 2616
Night-care centre 1393
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4. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Overview costs social relief homeless
(x € mln, 2006)
Special grant from central 240
government (incl. public mental
health)
Municipal treasury 130
Exceptional Medical Expenses Act 110
Contributions residents 30
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5. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
The Dutch model:
legal framework
• Social Support Act
• Exceptional Medical Expenses Act
• Health Insuarance Act
• The Decree on management for housing
• Work and benefits Act
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6. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Social Support Act
• Main target: participation of all citizens
• Municipalities: cohesive policy, differences
• 9 policy areas, such as:
– Social relief (incl. women’s refuge)
– Public mental health
– Extramural care of addicts
• Key position for 43 central municipalities
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7. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Acts Care & Health
• Exceptional Medical Expenses Act
– Care agencies
– Care providers
– Modernisation
– Effect homeless: ++
• Health Insuarance Act
– Private insurance with social conditions
– Effect homeless: ?
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8. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Housing & Income
• Decree on management for housing
– Defines tasks for housing corporations,
including ‘odd houses for odd people’
• Work and benefits act
– Implementation by municipalities
– Possibility to impose budget management
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9. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Division of Roles
• The national government : responsible for the
system
• The (central) municipalities incl. municipal
institutions: key role
• Cooperation with the social entrepeneurs on
housing, care and health is neccessary
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10. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
The strategy plan for social relief:
the making of
• Secret of broad development
• Formula for this success
– Leadership
– High ambitions
– Sufficient Budget
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11. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Key elements of the Plan
Two central pillars
• Personal treatment
• Seamless cooperation
– Contract with local partners
– Mutual rights and obligations
• Main targets
– 21.000 tailored programma’s
– Homelessness almost non-existent
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12. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
The Dutch model assessed
• Cooperation on the base of a contract
• No legal programmes, but appropiate instruments,
ready-to-use
• A new relation between municipalities and ngo’s
• Are (all) cities capable ?
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