EUTB
Ergänzende unabhängige Teilhabeberatung (EUTB®) provides long-COVID-related support in matters relating to participation, such as assistance or aids.
The Ergänzende unabhängige Teilhabeberatung (EUTB®) services were launched in 2018 as a pilot project based on § 32 of the ninth German Social Code (SGB IX), funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS). In the meantime, the EUTB® has been able to switch from subsidised funding to a legal entitlement to a subsidy for personnel and material costs. The counselling service is independent and complements the existing counselling and information services. In the counselling atlas, people seeking advice can find the right counselling services for their personal situation in their area.
The counsellors provide support before applying for benefits, e.g. when determining and recognising a disability or measures for participation in working life as a result of long COVID. In the context of long COVID, they can also be the first contact persons for mental health issues.
The counsellors in the EUTB® services are exclusively committed to the people seeking advice. The EUTB® operates according to the guiding principle of ‘one for all’. This means that people receive free advice and information on all issues relating to rehabilitation and participation at any of the approximately 500 EUTB® centres nationwide, regardless of the type of participation restriction they have. The aim of the counselling is to strengthen the self-determination of people with (impending) disabilities, in particular by providing counselling from those affected for those affected. Counselling is also open to relatives and those close to them.