Ministry of Social Affairs Adds SLRT Services Optimize Social Welfare

JAKARTA (July 11, 2019) - The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs continues to increase social welfare services by establishing an Integrated Referral Service System (SLRT) in each city and district until it reaches the target of 514 SLRT throughout Indonesia by 2024.

"SLRT is a One Door Service that was established to help the community, especially the underprivileged. The aim is to connect and facilitate them in accessing various social protection and poverty reduction services managed by the government according to their needs, "said Minister of Social Affairs Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita in Jakarta on Thursday.

The Minister explained that SLRT integrates information, data and services in one place. The SLRT Secretariat is a unit with the local district or city social office. Activities undertaken include the identification of complaints, referral and handling of complaints, recording membership and program needs, updating social welfare data, to integrating information, data and services.

"With the SLRT service, the citizens simply come to one place to access a variety of social services and social protection becomes more comprehensive," explained the Minister.

For example, taking care of the Identification Card or Birth Certificate, requesting information on the participation of the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), or want to know how to get a Smart Indonesia Card (KIP).

"All are served in one place at a time," he added.

Some regions that have successfully implemented SLRT include Bandung Regency, Sleman Regency, Bantaeng Regency, Sragen Regency, Siak Regency, Musi Rawas Regency, Kulonprogo Regency, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, and Sukabumi City.

The Minister said, since its launch in 2016, the number of SLRT continues to increase from year to year. In 2016 there were 50 SLRTs in districts/cities, in 2017 there were 20 districts / cities added, in 2018 there were 60 SLRTs established, and in 2019 there would be 20 SLRTs. In total there are as many as 150 SLRT in districts/cities.

The Ministry of Social Affairs, he continued, provided budget support through the National Budget for the establishment of the SLRT Secretariat in the district/city, the establishment of two Puskesos, 50 SLRT facilitators, 3 SLRT Supervisors, one SLRT Manager. For the Puskesos level, the Ministry of Social Affairs facilitates 1 Puskesos Coordinator and 2 front office officers.

"Each region can apply for SLRT growth in its area. There are also a number of areas that we consider to be ready. Surely there are criteria that must be met for the determination of districts / cities that will receive SLRT," said Minister Agus.

The criteria referred to are the commitment and readiness of the regional government including budget support and readiness of the relevant work units, preparation of human resources, the level of poverty in the area, the number of poor and vulnerable people, or the number of Social Welfare Services (PPKS).

"Every region has SLRTs that are tailored to the conditions of their respective regions. For example, in Sleman Regency there is the term Ngantar Paimah or Shuttle for Poor Residents to Home. In Bandung Regency SLRT, there is an Educational Car that takes and picks up students from and to school," he said.

Every city and district that has SLRT also has a village-level service called the Social Welfare Center (Puskesos). The Ministry of Social Affairs facilitated the establishment of two Puskesos in each of these cities/districts.

"Furthermore, we encourage the independence of local governments, villages and villages to establish an independent Puskesos to accommodate the needs of local residents. The more the number of Puskesos, the wider the range of SLRT services," said the Minister.

The purpose of the Puskesos is to bring SLRT services closer to rural communities so that they do not have to travel long distances to SLRT locations at the city or district level.

"Puskesos services are carried out by residents and for residents this is an embodiment of the Present State at the village level," he said.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also encourages regional governments to work closely with institutions, community organizations, and private companies that have CSR programs to be able to maximize services to underprivileged communities. For example Amil Zakat Institutions in the area, Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMD), regional public hospitals, etc.   

SLRT Optimization

Meanwhile the Director General of Social Empowerment represented by the Director of Social Empowerment, Individuals, Family and Community Institutions (PSPKKM) Bambang Mulyadi said to encourage the implementation and expansion of SLRT, regular meetings were held as a means of sharing information and experiences between local governments.

One of which was recently held was the SLRT Performance Optimization Activity in Yogyakarta, followed by 60 districts/cities to exchange knowledge and experiences about SLRT implementation in their respective regions and exchange ideas about efforts to encourage SLRT progress.

"Hopefully the experience delivered by representatives of several districts / cities and provinces can provide inspiration, motivation and high commitment to the participants," he said on the sidelines of the SLRT Performance Optimization activity in Yogyakarta, 2-5 July 2019.

There were 180 participants from Bappeda, Head of Regency / City Social Service and SLRT Managers from 60 districts/cities. The resource persons of the event consisted of the Director General of Social Empowerment, the Secretary of the Directorate General of Social Empowerment, the Director of Social Empowerment of Individual Family and Community Institutions, Head of Social Welfare Data and Information Center, SLRT Instructors at the central level, SLRT and Pusdatin technical teams, and selected SLRT organizers from the district/city.

In addition to following the resource persons' presentation, participants also visited SLRT services in Sleman Regency. In this place, participants were invited to see first hand the process of handling the community who came to convey a variety of needs.

Head of the Sleman Regency Social Service, Eko Suhargono, revealed that the SLRT in Sleman has been running since 2016 with the Javanese slogan "Teko Susah Bali Bungah", which means coming in a difficult situation while returning home in a happy condition.

"Alhamdulillah, Social Services of Sleman Regency has become a leader in poverty alleviation. SLRT is the spirit of social service services. Becoming the vanguard in providing services to people in need," he said.

In 2018, Sleman Regency SLRT handled 13,750 visits. The highest level of visits in June was 3,416 visits. The majority of citizen visits are to submit proposals for the Indonesia Sehat Card, submit a poor certificate, request information or consultations about other programs and services.

"We distribute a variety of assistance sourced from the APBD such as educational assistance, health assistance, even social assistance that is tentative such as Sleman's tourist areas sometimes there are displaced travelers out of stock and money. They come to our place and are given compensation to return to their origin. Or "there are travelers who are sick and have no money at all then report to the police station at which hospital we will reach," said Eko.

Slowly but surely, Sleman Regency SLRT services are increasingly well-known and close to the hearts of the people. This, continued Eko, was very influential on public perceptions of the offices he led. He said that every time there were problems regarding social welfare, people already knew where to go. There is no awkwardness or fear to enter the offices of government agencies because they are well served.

"Now we (Social Services) are excellent. Previously Social Services were sometimes underestimated because those served by displaced people, homeless people, poor families,but  now they are no longer (underestimated). For that we will continue to improve cooperation and coordination between agencies and organizations of regional apparatuses, as well as other institutions that have become Sleman Regency SLRT partners so that they can provide even more maximum services," he said.

Head of the Public Relations Bureau of Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs

Sonny W. Manalu