According to Istat data 7.6% of Lombardy people gave up necessary medical care in 2023. Too long waiting lists, high costs for visits and tests are the main causes. Difficulties that also affect Como families, forced to wait from 6 months to a year for a visit to a public hospital. If for some the only possible alternative is to resort to private healthcare, for many families, especially those in financial difficulty, not receiving treatment is the only option. Untreated diseases and lack of prevention which can lead, in some cases, to serious complications.
To answer the problem Stand Up, the pilot project developed between the Scalabrini Foundation, Cooperation Health and Confcooperative Lombardia. Experiment which aims to offer concrete support to 30 families in Como for three years, through supplementary health insurance which will reimburse preventive and treatment health costs. Nuclei, selected by the Scalabrini Foundation among the families welcomed within the project Stand Up, characterized by economic fragility. People who until recently managed to make ends meet but who, due to job loss, illness or family separation, find themselves in need of support to get back on their feet. Among the services covered are dental implants, private specialist visits on medical prescription, healthcare copayments, daily allowances for hospitalization and assistance.
Stand Up, which literally means “On Feet” is the name that the Scalabrini Foundation has given to the project aimed at supporting fragile families thanks to the collaboration between 9 Third Sector entities and 3 local administrations, the support of the Cariplo Foundation and the participation of the Peppino Foundation Vismara and the Intesa San Paolo Charity Fund. The activities, which began in April 2023, are aimed at families residing in the Como area. To date, 250 people have been taken into care, half Italian and half foreign, including 42 single-parent families and 135 minors. The aid is of different types: financial education courses, followed in particular by ACLI Como, food, care for children or psychological support, as in the case of the 16 courses provided free of charge through Cooperation Health and a contribution from the Scalabrini Foundation. Help, sometimes even simpler, from a PC to a children’s bicycle.
The results of the first year of the project Stand Up and supplementary health insurance were presented this morning at the headquarters of the Scalabrini Foundation in via Martino Anzi 8 in Como in the presence of various representatives of the bodies involved, including Francesca PainiPresident of the Scalabrini Foundation, Mauro Frangipresident of Confcooperative Insubria, Valeria NegriniVice President of the Cariplo Foundation, Angelo Porropresident of the Provincial Foundation of the Comasca Community onlus e Pierluca CastelnuovoHealth Cooperation representative for Lombardy.
At the same time, it was held Standing, Together, a meeting on welfare more generally in Como and the strategies that cooperatives and foundations are implementing to reduce inequalities and create networks that combat them. The StandUp project will work for another two years, with the aim of continuing even at the end of the financing thanks to the collaboration between the partners: Scalabrini Foundation which is the leader with the Life Help Center, Solidarity Bank, ACLI, ARCI, Auser, Association Lachesi, Como Family Forum, Municipality of Como and some partners from other territories.
The Stand Up project is reserved for the inhabitants of the municipalities of Como, Albese con Cassano, Bellagio, Blevio, Brienno, Brunate, Carate Urio, Cernobbio, Faggeto Lario, Laglio, Lezzeno, Lipomo, Maslianico, Moltrasio, Montano Lucino, Montorfano, Nesso, Pognana Lario, San Fermo della Battaglia, Tavernerio, Torno, Veleso and Zelbio.
For information, write to [email protected] or call 3661985204 (also WhatsApp)
