Lazio region's severe disability aid scheme faces funding shortfalls

The Lazio regional decree DGR 897/2021 defines strict health criteria for the "severe disability" category and allocates the available funds to each sociosanitary district using three coefficients – resident population, existing severe‑disability users and territorial size. Within a district the budget is distributed chronologically among eligible applicants, so an approved request can remain unfunded when the district’s resources are exhausted.

Aldo Cerroni, head of social policies for the municipality of Guidonia Montecelio, explained that eligibility alone does not guarantee payment; the decree explicitly sets the multi‑level allocation and priority rules that can leave qualified persons without a contribution.

In Marino, the municipal program that finances vacation stays for people with disabilities and psycho‑social distress suffered serious delays. The call for applications was published on 18 May instead of the regional deadline of 31 January, and the ranking was released only recently. Families have been forced to pre‑pay for accommodations while the exact grant amounts remain unknown, creating financial strain and uncertainty.