One Year Social Support Act: Reactions from the field

The goal of the new Social Support Act (Wmo) in the Netherlands is to stimulate and support participation of handicapped and elderly citizens in society at large and in decision making on matters of care at the local government level. The many subgoals of the Act are accompanied by decentralization of responsibilities to municipal government, reorganization of services and financial transitions. Not all of these changes worked out well for clients and personnel. Changes in the financing of domestic help stimulated market forces, lowered salaries and increased uncertainty for home help personnel.