The New Opportunities service has been launched in Moscow for those in need of prosthetics 
The New Opportunities service has been launched in a pilot mode in Moscow. Thanks to the new project, residents of the city of working age who need prosthetics can now receive comprehensive individual support for the rehabilitation period. The work of the service provides consultations when receiving a disability, organizing complex rehabilitation, obtaining a prosthesis, psychological assistance and, if necessary, legal support and assistance in finding a job. At all stages, the project participant is accompanied by a personal consultant. Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development, spoke about this.
“The most important thing that the city can do for a resident in such a difficult life situation as the loss of a limb is to provide him with comprehensive support. It is necessary to shorten the recovery time and help to return to full life as soon as possible.
That is why we launched the New Opportunities project, within which a person receives individual support during the rehabilitation period. From the moment the person confirmed his participation in the project, a team of multidisciplinary specialists from the Moscow Social Development Complex – representatives of the Department of Labor and Social Protection and the Department of Healthcare – began to work with him. Thanks to the accelerated interdepartmental interaction, we achieve the main goal – to provide timely assistance to the residents. Depending on the state of health of each participant, the expert commission determines what range of services he needs. Also, a personal consultant helps to get legal assistance and, if necessary, advice from employees of the capital's employment center “My Career” to assist in finding a job. Psychological support can also be provided to a person's relatives, who together with him go through all the stages of recovery, “said the vice-mayor.
In the absence of contraindications from the attending physician to primary prosthetics, a representative of the New Opportunities project contacts the project participant. Upon confirmation of the desire to participate, the person receives a personal consultant who accompanies him at all stages of rehabilitation. Depending on the state of health and life situation of each participant, the expert committee determines what range of services he needs.
Individual support begins while a person is in a medical organization. Depending on the condition upon discharge from the hospital, the project participant is sent either to the inpatient department of the L.I.Shvetsova Scientific and Practical Center for Medical and Social Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, whose specialists have extensive experience working with people who have survived amputation and apply innovative approaches in complex rehabilitation , or home, where the mobile rehabilitation service will come to him.
The decision on choosing a prosthetic company is made by the project participant independently. At this stage, a personal consultant will provide all the necessary information and arrange meetings with representatives of prosthetic and orthopedic enterprises. 4 companies take part in the project, which carry out individual production of prostheses, teach how to use the products and how to take care of them.
At all stages, the participant and his relatives can seek psychological counseling in order to receive professional support and quickly accept new circumstances.
The project is coordinated by the Resource Center for the Disabled of the Moscow Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population in close cooperation with the Coordination Center for Medical Rehabilitation of the Moscow Health Department.
The City Service “New Opportunities” provides services to Muscovites of working age, with no contraindications to prosthetics, with a disability group that allows work.
Muscovites can get advice on the New Opportunities project at the unified social security referral service: 8 (495) 870-44-44.
You can also send a letter to e-mail: [email protected] with a mark in the subject pis ma “New Features”.