WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977
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REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT PLANS REVEALED
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A CENTRAL HEALTH UNIT, A COMPREHENSIVE OBSERVATION SCHEME AND EXPERIMENTAL DAY CENTRES FOR THE SEVERELY MENTALLY RETARDED WILL BE SET UP BEFORE THE END OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THESE ARE AMONG THE MANY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REHABILITATION FIELD REVEALED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. E.P. HC IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE COUNCIL'S ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE, MR. HO SAID THE EXPERIMENTAL DAY CENTRES WOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THREE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES BEFORE THE END OF MARCH NEXT YEAR.
+ IN THE MEANTIME WORK HAS DEEN IN PROGRESS, EVEN BEFORE THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER, ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PSYCHIATRIC ING OF 1,304 BEDS AT PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, AND THE PROVISION OF 288 BEDS FOR THE SEVERELY MENTALLY RETARDED WITHIN THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE EXTENSION SCHEVE.
*THESE PROJECTS ARE DUE FOR COMPLETION IN 1980 AND 1978 RESPECTIVELY.+
MR. HO NOTED THAT DURING 1978/79 THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE SETTING UP A CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT TO IMPROVE FURTHER THE PREVENTIVE HEALTH GEPVICES= A COMPREHENSIVE OBSERVATION SCHEME TO PROVIDE ROUTINE OPSERVATION FOR ALL INFANTS AGED BELOW FIVE YEARS AND AN ORTHOPTIC UNIT TO TREAT DEFECTIVE EYE MOVEMENTS.
HE ALSO REVEALED THAT A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN TRANSFERRING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRE-VOCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE DISABLED FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL BEGIN LATER THIS MONTH.
+UNLESS THERE ARE UNFORESEEN DIFFICULTIES THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUBVENTING MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN'S CENTRES FROM APRIL 1979.+
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO ASSUME DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF BRAILLE TEXTBOOKS IN BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH FROM APRIL NEXT YEAR.
IN THE FIELD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, MR. HO SAID VISION SCREENING WOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL PRIMARY ONE STUDENTS IN 1978. OTHER SCREENING SERVICES AND GROUP TESTING PROGRAMMES WILL BE EXPANDED TO COVER ALL PRIMARY STUDENTS AS QUICKLY AS RESOURCES PERMIT.
IN ADDITION, HE EXPECTED THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR THE DATA PROCESSING DIVISION WILL COMPLETE A STUDY ON THE BEST FORM IN WHICH STATISTICS ON THE DISAELED SHOULD BE COLLECTED AND COLLATED.
/REGARDING THE