SCANDAL in the Sigmaringen district council: termination of addiction counseling shocks!

SCANDAL in the Sigmaringen district council: termination of addiction counseling shocks!

In a BOMB-like decision on July 28, 2025, the Sigmaringen district council decided on a drastic turnaround in addiction counseling and homeless assistance: The cooperation with the specialist association for prevention and rehabilitation in the Archdiocese of Freiburg (AGJ) will be terminated on December 31, 2026!Schwäbische.dereports that this decision was the result of a heated debate and could have significant consequences for many involved. Are the last days of the AGJ in the Sigmaringen district numbered?

District Administrator Stefanie Bürkle sharply criticized the current contract structure, which had turned out to be a financial minefield for the district. “We pay large sums, but have NO influence on the organization of the services!” is their complaint about the existing grievances! The head of the social affairs department, Torsten Schillinger, is calling for more participation in addiction counseling, which will be crucial for the future direction of help. Regardless of these demands, heaven forbid, there are concerns!

Disagreement and fear about the future

Some district councilors have spoken out against the termination. Hermann Brodmann from the Greens warned urgently about the UNCERTAINTY for staff and clients. “We are on the brink of a catastrophe!” said his worried voice in the debate. Susanne Petermann-Mayer, also from the Greens, has warned of the frightening loss of the AGJ employees' experiential knowledge, which is essential for the help systems.

The SPD district councilors Martin Huthmacher and Reiner Marquart castigated the decision without conducting serious new negotiations. Johannes F. Kretschmann from the Greens warned that the impression that addiction counseling or homeless assistance would be “abolished” must be avoided. What this means for those seeking help is hard to imagine!

Breach of trust or a new beginning?

However, the decision does not mean the definitive end for the AGJ. On the contrary! The service will be re-advertised after the notice period has expired and an application from AGJ is possible. Will this be a new beginning or an ongoing fiasco?Florian Lessner from the FDP definitely emphasized the chances of participating in a new tender!

But as the debate continues, some AGJ employees have mixed feelings about the discussion. Will this be seen as a devastating breach of trust in the aid system? One thing is certain: the situation is getting worse!

A new approach to helping the homeless

At the same time, pioneering projects are already being initiated, such as the innovative cooperation project “Addiction help AND emergency housing help – two help systems, one common target group” (SuWoKo). With a clear goal: to bring together the areas of addiction and emergency housing assistance! Here, structural and framework conditions are to be analyzed and functional cooperation structures are to be established. What a new hope!

The project, which runs from February 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025, has the potential to revolutionize the entire landscape of assistance! After all, it's about THE most important aspect: the transfer of knowledge about the diverse offerings of the help systems, which are essential to the survival of many people. Amidst these exciting changes, where will the journey lead?

Time will tell, but one thing is certain: the situation in addiction and homeless assistance remains tense and the coming decisions will have far-reaching consequences for the entire community! Who will be next to ride the shockwaves of these dramatic developments?Information about the AGJ can be found athttps://www.agj-wohnungslosenhilfe-sigmaringen.de/.