Santa Cruz Social Care Faces Millions in Debt to Home Help Contractor Amidst Management Changes
Santa Cruz's Municipal Institute for Social Care (IMAS) faces a €1.3 million debt to its Home Help Service contractor, Atende, with the PSOE party raising concerns about payment delays and expiring review files, while the councilor assures service continuity and plans for staffing increases to address appointment backlogs at Social Work Units and support for the homeless population.
The Municipal Institute for Social Care (IMAS) in Santa Cruz owes its Home Help Service contractor, Atende, 7.2 million euros. This debt is for unpaid invoices dating back to last December, due to a change in how the service is managed.
However, the Social Care Councilor, Charín González, stated yesterday that the amount owed is actually 1.3 million euros, covering December 2024 and January 2025.
During a council meeting requested by the PSOE party, the councilor explained that the agreement for the service's continuity has been with the Audit Department since November 4th. Once their report is received, it will go to the Governing Council, and then payment will be processed. She assured that this delay doesn't affect the 1,300 users or the over 200 staff members, who are still receiving their salaries with the agreed pay increase.
Patricia Hernández from the PSOE warned that the review file, which was started by the council, expires this Saturday. She stated that the council has until Monday to make a decision and inform the contractor, otherwise, it will be considered invalid. Regarding the invoices, she claimed the debt goes back to last October, and a February invoice was returned just fifteen days ago. This situation has led Atende to file 14 legal challenges due to non-payment. They are owed 660,000 euros per month for at least ten months, which is causing problems with covering staff absences and holidays, ultimately impacting the public.
Councilor Charín González dismissed Hernández's concerns, saying she was "acting like an oracle" and that her priority is to protect citizens and workers, so she will wait for the Audit Department's report before deciding on the next steps.
The commission also discussed the scheduling of appointments for vulnerable individuals at Social Work Units (UTS), also at the PSOE's request. Alana Chinea, a spokesperson, reported that there are delays of up to a year for phone appointments, causing frustration and a feeling of neglect among citizens.
Councilor Charín González admitted that some UTS, like Añaza and Ofra, have appointment backlogs of about three months. However, she stated they are working to fix this with a new staffing plan that will bring in more personnel. She also mentioned that so far this year, 14,190 people have been helped, compared to 11,829 last year. Additionally, there is a social worker available each week to handle urgent cases.
The IMAS has sent 25 new reports to the Public Prosecutor's Office regarding homeless individuals with mental health issues. This is because social services need court permission to intervene when people don't consent. Councilor Charín González announced this during a session requested by the Vox party. She noted that between January and August, 732 homeless people were assisted, and 55% of them came to Santa Cruz from other areas looking for help.
This influx has increased, with over 33% of homeless individuals experiencing mental health problems, an area the City Council does not have authority over. The councilor mentioned they are meeting with other authorities, like the Canary Islands Health Service, to provide support.
Vox spokesperson Alejandro Gómez urged for more oversight of subsidies given to third-sector organizations, suggesting that many mental health issues are linked to economic or housing problems, not just medical ones.