Riga City Council has closed 17 branches of social services and explains how this is good for Riga residents 0 6

Antra Gabre, project coordinator of the external communications department of the Riga Municipality:

– At first glance, reducing the number of social service centers from 20 to 3 may indeed concern clients of the Social Service, however, this reform is not aimed at complicating the lives of residents, but rather at improving the quality of services. The new access centers for social services will provide a modern, unified, and efficient approach throughout the city.

Starting from July 31 of this year, residents of Riga will have access to remote consultations for the first time. This will allow clients to conveniently and quickly find out what types of social assistance are available in a specific situation, what documents are required, and to receive answers to any questions regarding social assistance without leaving their homes.

The new customer service procedures include:

• the ability to receive initial consultations remotely,

• the ability to make an appointment by phone or come without prior registration and be accepted (currently, this option is not available),

• computers where documents can be submitted electronically (consultant assistance will be provided if necessary),

• continuous service, including in situations where a vacancy is not filled,

• unified information and assistance in one place every working day.

It is important to note that residents of social housing in Imanta, at the addresses 8th Line St., 1, k-2, and Mezrozishu St., 43, will be provided with home visits once a week. Additional centers will also be created in the Latgale and Ziemel regions to make their services available as close as possible to the clients' places of residence in these areas.