The social assistance organisational units include:

• regional social policy centres;
• poviat family assistance centres;
• social welfare centres;
• residential homes;
• specialist consultancy establishments, including family ones;
• support centres;
• crisis intervention centres.

Social welfare centres

Social welfare centres are organisational units performing tasks in the scope of social welfare in a municipality.

Poviat family assistance centres

Poviat family assistance centres are organisational units performing poviat’s tasks in the scope of social assistance. Poviat family assistance centres’ tasks in cities/towns with poviat rights are performed by urban social assistance centres (urban family assistance centres).

Regional social policy centres

At the voivodeship level there are two separate organisational structures – government and local government administration.

Governmental tasks at the voivodeship level are performed by a voivode. The voivode’s tasks in the scope of social assistance are performed by the social policy departments of voivodeship offices.

Whereas, local government’s tasks are performed by the Voivodeship Marshal with a support from the regional social policy centre - an organisational unit appointed for performance of social assistance tasks in local government voivodeships.

Residential homes

A residential home is a social assistance organisational unit, which provides, at a level of the binding standard, well-being, care, support and educational services to persons requiring twenty-four-hour care due to their age, illness or disability.

Depending on the target recipients, homes are divided into homes for:

1. the elderly;
2. patients with chronic somatic diseases;
3. patients with chronic mental diseases;
4. adults with intellectual disabilities;
5. children and youth with intellectual disabilities;
6. persons with physical disabilities;
7. persons addicted to alcohol.

Specialist consultancy establishments

Specialist consultancy, in particular, legal, psychological and family-related is provided to persons and families with difficulties or who need support in solving their life problems regardless of their income.

The register of specialist counselling entities is conducted by the voivode.

Support centres

A support centre is a day-care social assistance organisational unit. The support centre can run twenty four hour periodical care establishments.

A support centre can be a support centre for persons with mental disorders, day care residential home, home for mothers with minor children and pregnant women, a shelter and a home for the homeless or a self-help club.

Crisis intervention centres

The role of crisis intervention centres comprises providing specialist psychological help, social and legal counselling, as well as shelter to persons and families in a state of a crisis, including mothers with minor children and pregnant women suffering from domestic violence or in other crisis situation.