Independent life

Independent living is an ideology and movement of people with disabilities that traces its roots to the disability rights movement of the 1970s. It involves a redefinition of the concept of independence.  Instead of being able to do everything on one's own without assistance, independence is about having government, choice and possibilities to an independent life with user-directed personal assistance.

What is NPA?

NPA is a form of service based on the philosophy of independent living. The goal is for people with disabilities to be able to live their lives and have the same opportunities as people without disabilities. Power is transferred from the service system to the citizen, who simultaneously becomes the employer and manager of their own support staff that they hire themselves. Assistants work according to a job description written by people with disabilities and designed according to individual needs and lifestyle.. Thus, people with disabilities have a choice of who to help it, where The assistance is provided., how She is organized and When.

NPA agreement involves People with disabilities negotiate with their local municipality to manage and organize their own support.. The individual and the municipality then enter into the so-called NPA agreement between them and is based on Self-assessment of an individual's service needs. From this, the municipality's estimated monthly financial contribution to the individual is calculated. The funds the individual receives are divided into three parts:

• 85% in wages and salary-related expenses for support staff.
• 10% administrative costs for the administrator.
• 5% for out-of-pocket expenses for support staff.

Repayments

Beingreiðslusamningar User-directed personal assistance is not based on a legal obligation but has been in practice for some time. In certain cases, it is permitted to enter into a direct payment agreement with a disabled user of the service or with the guardian of a minor. A direct payment agreement means that the individual receives paid a certain amount which he to take matters into one's own hands for the purchase of the service that he would otherwise have received from the Social Services Department of the City of Reykjavík. The amount of the direct payment agreements is based on an assessment of support needs in accordance with the rules of the City of Reykjavík on social home care and support services.

Difference between an NPA agreement and a direct payment agreement is a different regulatory framework for direct payment agreements, and the amount the individual is allocated from their municipality is not divided into three parts as NPA agreements do. Therefore, individuals with a direct payment arrangement do not have a specific amount allocated specifically to cover the costs of support workers, e.g., travel expenses (5%) or administration costs (10%).

Companies and institutions working on NPA in Iceland

NPA Center

NPA Sets Southern Lands

Information for those who manage NPA themselves

Individuals with NPA agreements also have the option to manage the agreement themselves if they have the necessary authorization to do so. It is necessary to apply for such authorization from the Quality and Supervisory Authority for Welfare Matters. On the homepage Iceland.is to find all information about the institution and the process for licensing administrators.

Accounting

For individuals who manage the administration themselves, it is necessary to submit information to the tax authority once a year and monthly to the municipality regarding the use of the allocated funds. Operating statements can be submitted from accounting systems or created in spreadsheet programs like Excel.

Creation of "Important Information"”

For users and caregivers, it can be a good idea to create a folder containing important information that caregivers can always access. This way, users also have the opportunity to choose which information they deem necessary. For example, you could include:

• Emergency response information: When and under what circumstances to call an ambulance or a doctor.
• Information about the names and phone numbers of all staff working in the individual's NPA service.
• Information a user requests to be available when visiting doctors or other specialists.
• Aids and their use.
• Medicines and their use.
• Information about a typical day or a copy of the work schedule/class schedule.
• Information on the names and contact details of key specialists, such as prosthetists, physicians, and physical therapists.
• Information about assistive device repair services.
• Phone number and information about advisors at the municipality and next of kin.
• Information about disability/illness and main interests.
• Pictures of close friends and family.

For travel abroad

For frequent international travel, it may be necessary to deviate from the regular shift schedule so that the employee can enjoy the trip. A good idea is to create a special employment contract with support staff for the duration of the trip, including the following information:

• Information about travel dates and itinerary
• Information about changes to staff scheduling and rest periods.
• Information on emergency response and illness for support staff on trips.
• What is paid by the user and what is the amount of the per diem?.