Care Medal and Certificate of Appreciation and Honor; Submission of a suggestion

The Bavarian State Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Affairs honors individuals who have rendered outstanding service to people with disabilities in need of care—whether through personal caregiving or in other ways—by awarding them a Care Medal and a certificate of appreciation and honor in recognition of their social contributions.

Group of People with Disabilities in Need of Care

People with disabilities in need of care are individuals who are so helpless that, as a result of their disability, they require a significant amount of ongoing assistance from others—not merely on a temporary basis—to perform the ordinary and regularly recurring tasks of daily life.

Proof is generally provided by a severely disabled person’s ID card marked with an “H” or by a decision granting a care allowance or care benefit.

The person with a disability in need of care must live in Bavaria.

Caregivers and Personal Care

Caregivers are individuals who are close to the person with a disability in need of care, who provide care as a form of neighborly assistance, or who volunteer as part of an outpatient social service.

Care must generally be provided in the home and be provided free of charge. A small fee or reimbursement of the caregiver’s expenses does not preclude eligibility for the honor.

The caregiver must be worthy of the honor in terms of reputation and character; that is, there must be no record of a final conviction in the person’s file when a full search of the Federal Central Register is conducted.

The care should generally encompass all services necessary for nursing and support. Comprehensive care in this sense also includes, for example, any additional special supervision required for a person with a disability, as well as managing their household and caring for their children.

The care must have been provided regularly and, in principle, over a continuous period of at least five years. Short interruptions in care, e.g., due to vacation or illness of the caregiver or the person with a disability in need of care, do not preclude the award.

Individuals who have rendered outstanding service to people with disabilities in need of care in ways other than through personal care may also be honored.

Nomination

Eligible to submit nominations are welfare and disability organizations, social service providers, operators of facilities and services for people with disabilities, local municipalities, and any citizen. The nomination for the honor must be submitted to the municipality where the person to be honored lives (municipality of residence). Nomination forms are available at all municipalities, district offices, and state administrations.

For nominations submitted by welfare and disability organizations, social service providers, operators of facilities and services for people with disabilities, and municipalities, the municipality of residence confirms that it has no information that would preclude the award. For nominations submitted by individual citizens, the municipality of residence confirms that the requirements for the honor are met, or explains why it considers the requirements not to be met.

The municipality forwards the reviewed proposal with its confirmation to the competent government authority (for municipalities within a district, via the district office).

Decision

The competent government authority forwards the proposal to the Bavarian State Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Affairs along with its opinion for a decision, and the Ministry prepares the issuance of the certificate of appreciation and honor.

Honor

The certificate of appreciation and honor is signed by the Minister of State for Family, Labor, and Social Affairs. The Care Medal and the Certificate of Appreciation and Honor are presented by the Minister of State, by a person designated by the Minister, or, by special agreement, by another person, such as the mayor of the municipality of residence.

For more information about the award for outstanding service to people with disabilities who require care, please contact the state governments.

The application to honor the caregiver must be submitted to the municipality of residence no later than one year after the death of the person with a disability who was receiving care.