Social support service
Reception and support for individuals and families to minimise or resolve situations of social vulnerability.
What is it?
Social support and guidance is a response aimed at individuals and families with the aim of minimising and/or resolving situations of vulnerability. It is delivered by generalist teams and by teams supporting first-time situations. Among the types of support that may be requested from the teams running the social support service are Social Inclusion Income, the Santa Casa Health Card, Food Aid and Funeral Services.
This intervention is individualised but takes account of the person's collective dimension, since knowledge of and a deeper diagnosis of the local community are a valuable asset and an important condition for a more appropriate response from Misericórdia de Lisboa, allowing greater adaptability to the emergence of new groups.
Access can be in person or by telephone in order to book the appointment. The social support service for urgent situations is guaranteed daily by a duty or reference staff member at the reception locations.
Facilities / Services
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa's facilities are organised into Local Development and Intervention Units (UDIP), according to their geographical catchment area.
* Custo de chamada para a rede fixa nacional
Types of support
Within the scope of its statutory aims, in keeping with Christian tradition and the works of mercy of its original Compromisso, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa ensures funeral services for the most disadvantaged.
Eligibility conditions:
This support may be requested by:
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Family members of the deceased;
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The director of the establishment where the death occurred;
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Administrative or police authorities;
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The Institute of Forensic Medicine;
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Hospital centres or embassies.
Support aimed at individuals and families in financial hardship, consisting of an inclusion contract for support in social and professional integration and a cash benefit to meet basic needs.
Eligibility conditions:
Lisbon residents should apply for the Social Inclusion Income at the services of Instituto de Segurança Social, I.P., which is the body responsible for deciding on the award of this support. The monitoring of this measure for Lisbon residents is the responsibility of Santa Casa, under the protocol signed between the two institutions.
This card can provide access to a range of healthcare services (consultations, vaccination, nursing care, etc.), as well as additional benefits (medicines, prostheses and/or orthoses, disposable incontinence products and dietary products), in accordance with the specific regulations in force.
Eligibility conditions:
The health card may be requested by Lisbon residents, by Santa Casa service users, and by other citizens under specific protocols or provisions governing the matter.
The proposal to issue the health card is the responsibility of the institution’s Social Action and Health services.
Santa Casa provides temporary access to prepared meals in order to help resolve situations of food shortage faced by individuals and families resident in the city of Lisbon.
Eligibility conditions:
Food aid requests should be made through the Social Reception service for your area of residence.
It results from the approval for Portugal of the European Aid to the Most Deprived programme of the European Social Fund. Its aim is to reduce the vulnerable situations that put the integration of the most fragile individuals and households at risk, through the provision of non-financial assistance, the distribution of foodstuffs and the running of social inclusion activities — namely support work in the area of nutrition and household budget management.
Eligibility conditions:
Support provided through POAPMC may be requested by individuals and/or families in financial hardship, as defined by Instituto da Segurança Social, I.P. under the social action subsystem.
For queries about POAPMC, you should contact the territorial unit (UDIP) for your parish.
