REGIONS FOR ECONOMIC CHANGE CONFERENCE Brussels, 16 – 17 February 2009

1. REGIONS FOR ECONOMIC CHANGE CONFERENCE Brussels, 16 – 17 February 2009 Migrants and the City: Towards successfull Integration I.S.I. Health Information Service for migrants Torino Luisa Avedano Turin City Council EU Projects Strategic Manager

2. Structure of the presentation • The service • Why this service • What it delivers • Local partnerships and networking • Lessons drawn

3. THE I.S.I. DESK Information on health for migrants • Born in 1992 ISI is a service devoted to “illegal” migrants • It was established by Piedmont Regional Health Authority (ASL) • It operates at city, metropolitan and province level • It is an innovative and successful service • Annually more than 1.500 people access to the service • It is a cornerstone for a local net of services devoted to migrants • It is a reference point for migrant communities • It is a concrete link between low-threshold services and public • health structures (hospitals, ambulatories, family advisory • bureaux, etc)

4. I.S.I. DESKS MAP

5. THE I.S.I. DESK WHY THIS SERVICE It is addressed to whom stays in Italy, although “sans papiers”, entitled to emergency medical treatment in public structures facilities. By the Italian law an “illegal” migrant is a person without a residence permit or in possession of a permit expired for more than 60 days

6. THE I.S.I. DESK DELIVERED SERVICES • Listening and understanding of migrants’ health needs • (legal and “not” legal women, children and minors); • Advice on how accessing health services; • Cultural mediation; • STP Card (Temporary stay for foreigners) delivery; • Basic medical assistance (GPD); • Facilitating access to health care; • Support/collaboration with National Health Services for: • GPD choice and withdrawal, • hospitalisation, exemption from health ticket taxation • Coordination with other ISI desks and other involved • bodies (Municipalities, Province, etc) • Observatory on the phenomenon at Regional level

7. Regional Health Agency (ASL) Metropolitan Area (Turin/other cities) Province Ambulatories Family advisory centres Hospitals ISI Desk(s) Voluntary Sector Migrants associations NGOs Drugs/alcohol addiction Support (SERT) Mental Health Support Legal Advice Professional Training Advice Education Advice THE I.S.I. DESK NETWORKING PARTNERSHIPS Intercultural mediation services

8. THE I.S.I. DESK LESSONS DRAWN … from a social angle • health is a component of human well being • all migrants should be equal when claiming health needs • intercultural mediation is crucial • “illegal” migrants often face serious health problems • through access to health mutual trust can be achieved • health is often just the tip of a variety of difficulties • ISI became a reference point for communities (area based service) • ISI became a kind of “sorting desk” addressing migrants to other not health related services • formal and unformal links are a real added value

9. THE I.S.I. DESK LESSONS DRAWN … from an economic perspective • the ISI desk is a way for addressing migrants to the most suitable health service • it is a win-win situation as it can lead to cost reduction for Health Care Regional Agencies (less attendance to First Aid services, prevention …) • being an Observatory ISI can offer an up-to-date picture on health conditions among the poorest groups • being a reference point ISI boosted the establishment of formal/unformal links with other public bodies but also with NGOs and voluntary sector (not only on health issues)

10. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION ! Luisa Avedano Turin City Council Urban Regeneration and Development Sector luisa.avedano@comune.torino.it