The municipal Social Services are direct witnesses of the consequences that the health crisis of COVID-19 and the state of alarm in which we have been living since last March 14 cause in the population, especially in those people and families in the most vulnerable situation.
The City Council of Dénia, aware of the worsening of these needs, has agreed on a package of social measures that reinforce the care and help provided to citizens.
One of the most urgent is the increase in the budget for emergency financial aid (PEIS) for individuals and families. In the 2020 budget, this item was assigned the amount of 230.000 euros and now the city council has agreed, with the support of all the Corporation's political groups, that this amount amount to 600.000 euros.
"And the figures, unfortunately, support this increase in aid", points out the councilor for Social Welfare, Cristina Morera. As of January this year, the municipal Social Services processed 100 PEIS files and another hundred throughout the month of February, with an approximate cost of between 30 and 35 euros per month. Well, since the state of alarm was decreed, and until last week, that is, in the last month, 217 emergency financial aid has been processed for a total of 97.505 euros.
In Social Services, direct aid is also given in specific cases of people and families who urgently need food and other essential goods. Since the state of alarm, 3.000 euros have been distributed in these direct aids and another 3.000 euro item is expected to be approved in the next few days to deal with these emergency situations. When it comes to cases in which it is detected that the plaintiff requires more long-term food aid, he is referred to the organizations of the Solidarity Table, "They are also carrying out a very important task in these difficult times".
In addition to the aforementioned financial aid, from the Social Services, the "Friendly telephone" service attended by two psychologists in the area and which receives an average of 6 telephone calls a day, was launched during the confined state. Two telephone hotlines have been set up, one for people over 30 (telephone 620 636 908) and the other for families (number 618 936 332). Most of the queries made have to do with the anxiety generated by this situation of confinement or the uncertainty that will happen when I finish. The professionals of the "Friendly Phone" take calls from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 14 pm.
The task of the professionals who work at the Municipal Housing Service is also very important at the moment. For this reason, they continue to inform and advise citizens by telephone about government measures related to housing, such as rental aid or mortgage moratoriums. During the state of alarm, reports the councilor, they are receiving many telephone calls to the service, which is open from Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 14 p.m., from the number 96 646 70 73.
Last but not least, the councilor for Social Welfare wanted to emphasize that the other areas of the council also continue with their daily work, thanks to teleworking, monitoring, for example, TAPIS users or users of the truancy program.
"In short," concludes Cristina Morera, "we have a team of more than 30 highly involved professionals who are working to the best of their abilities to help and serve the citizens of Dénia who need it most in these difficult times".
