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type: Mandate
authorizes: be-002136
general description: The Public Centre for Social Welfare is a public institution provided by the municipalities in Belgium. The term is a translation of the Dutch Openbaar centrum voor maatschappelijk welzijn (OCMW), French Centre public d'action sociale (CPAS) and German Öffentliches Sozialhilfezentrum (ÖSHZ). Each municipality has, besides a municipal council, a separate OCMW/CPAS council. The fact that OCMW/CPAS is a separate institution from the municipality itself, is historical, whereas in other countries such social services are given by the municipalities themselves. Examples of social services provided by the OCMW/CPAS include financial help, medical help, housing, legal advice, etc.