Long-term Deprivation of Liberty sidized by the Government of Castile-La Mancha (43 places in the residence, 10 in the day center and 7 in the supervised dwelling). However, the fact that there are vacant places is not due to lack of demand, but rather to the order issued by both administrations to suspend admissions, and even assessment of applica­ tions, due to budget cuts. So even though demand for the service is considerable, the official waiting list is not that long. In this respect, the aforementioned Re­ gional Ministry and Provincial Council have been asked to submit reports on the measures that must be adopted to deal with the waiting list they will eventually have with persons waiting to obtain a place in the center. Moreover, in 2012 the center’s management became aware of the difficulties it faced following a reduction of 18% of its budget in respect to 2011. The 2012 budget has been 173. During the interviews, some of the men and women in residence declared that they had entered the center «against their will», adding that they were sent there to relieve their families of the obligation to care for them, due to their so­ cial situation or for other reasons. One resident declared the following: «I am not able to adapt. I know I have to be brave and that I have to think of my children and accept that it has to be this way. They work and cannot take care of me, but I just can’t accept that and adapt.» Following a review of the documentation, it was concluded that neither the Toledo Provincial Council nor the Regional Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of the Community of Castile-La Mancha require express judicial authorization to commit elderly persons or persons with disabilities who do not have the capacity to consent freely, whether or not they are judicially incapacitated, to the center. In consequence, the two administra­ tions have been informed that in such cases judicial authorization for non-vol­ untary committal should be required, pursuant to Article 763 of the Civil Pro­ cedure Law. Judicial authorization must 174. In respect to the periodic control of non-voluntary committal, the «Manu­ al of good practices of the service of the Attorney General’s Office specialized in the protection and support of persons with disability» (Manual de buenas practi­ cas de los servicios especializados del Ministerio Fiscal en la proteccion a las perso­ nas con discapacidad y apoyos) states that in addition to examining the report drafted by the center, the Office also takes into consideration, whenever possible, the report of the forensic doctor or of an independent physician appointed by the judge, different from the center’s physician, and shall give the person affected by the measure a hearing. However, on reviewing the files at the center in which ju­ dicial authorization of committal appeared, there was no reference to those ac­ tions during the periodic control, which has been brought to the attention of the Office of the Attorney General. Periodic control must entail Likewise, in cases in which committal was authorized by the court, it was noted that the medical reports submitted every six months to the judge in order to sub­ stantiate the need to maintain committal measures, in accordance with Arti­ cle 763.4 of the Civil Procedure Law, are in many cases identical copies in which Periodic medical reports THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN reduced by 18% be obtained for non­ voluntary committals greater involvement on the part of the Attorney General’s Office should be more thorough and be updated 135

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