“I had an open city council convened to give a voice to those dealing with Down syndrome. According to the associations, such an appreciated involvement has never happened to turn the spotlight on a very serious issue within the municipal meeting. Politics is, first of all, listening and then looking for solutions.”. The Mpa municipal councilor, Luigi Cavarra, says he is very satisfied with yesterday’s debate in the chamber thanks to the contribution provided by those who live every day and try to solve the problems of people with Down’s syndrome: Antonio Gallitto, school representative of Aipd Siracusa (who also brought greetings from president Simona Corsico involved with the children in the regional project “Autonomy in Harmony” which also involves the Municipality of Syracuse); Ida Vasta, works in the inclusion and BES area (special educational needs), support teacher at the Santa Lucia comprehensive institute; Maria Assenza of the association 20 November 1989.
The priorities highlighted by the associations, and the councilor assures that he intends to carry them forward in the next city councils and in the commissions involved, are the following: organization of an event soon (for example a “Saturday evening differently… Together”) aimed at raising awareness among citizens to the issue of accessibility of parking areas reserved for people with disabilities; establishment of the disability consultancy; appointment of the municipal disability guarantor; taking care of the person with Down syndrome from birth and creating a dedicated complex operational unit at the ASP, as happens in other cities (see Catania); a municipal day center also open in summer; a municipal disability desk (for legal, bureaucratic and fiscal procedures); networking of the necessary information in the Siracusa Accessible portal to enhance communication and sharing between local authorities, ASP and schools on the specific needs of disabilities; unblocking of the Hcp – home premium care service – currently blocked due to problems in the platform that allows the Municipality to communicate with INPS; full application of the “during us and after us” (ex law 328 of 2000 today law 112/2016) with the establishment of services and structures that improve the quality of life of people with disabilities; establishment, starting from September 2024, together with Asacom for schools, of the Osa service – social welfare operator – for all pupils with disabilities who have not achieved full sphincter control; reform of article 10 of the Asacom regulation of the Municipality of Syracuse so that the hours of assistance for autonomy and communication are also carried out for educational visits outside the school institution, without municipal budget constraints but using common sense and reasonable accommodation as stated in the UN convention in art. 2 paragraph 4.
“I thank the associations, on behalf of the entire city council, for enriching us with their interventions – concludes Cavarra – A census of people with disabilities, which currently does not exist, the disability consultation and the creation of a day center are the priorities on which I will immediately get to work so that they can also be implemented in Syracuse”.
