WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1984
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THE API CONVEYS THE THEME +FRIENDSHIP - A WAY TO INTEGRATION+ BY DEPICTING DISABLED AND ABLE CHILDREN PLAYING TOGETHER AT THE OCEAN PARK.
MR LEWIS SAID THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE API DEMONSTRATED THAT A THEME ON REHABILITATION, IF TACKLED SENSITIVELY WITH THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN MEDIA AND REHABILITATION PEOPLE, COULD GAIN INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION.
+WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ONCE, LET US HOPE WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AGAIN, THIS TIME ON THE PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE MENTALLY ILL, HE SAID.
+PUBLIC EDUCATION CONCERNING THE REHABILITATION OF THE MENTALLY ILL IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY, MR LEWIS SAID, AND THIS MUST RECEIVE A HIGH PRIORITY IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.+
THERE WAS MUCH IGNORANCE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT, COMPARATIVELY, MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE WERE NO MORE DANGEROUS THAN THOSE WHO WERE NOT, HE POINTED OUT.
+SINCE ONE IN NINE OF US IS THOUGHT TO SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AT SOME STAGE DURING OUR LIVES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE IS SOME UNDERSTANDING AS TO HOW BEST PEOPLE CAN REINTEGRATE INTO NORMAL LIFE, MR LEWIS SAID.
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+WE MUST GET ACROSS THE MESSAGE THAT THE MENTALLY ILL, AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED IN HOSPITAL, WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR LOOKING AFTER THEMSELVES ARE UNDERTAKEN BY OTHERS, MUST SOMEHOW ADJUST TO THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, HE STRESSED.
THE HALF-WAY HOUSES, MR LEWIS POINTED OUT, ACT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY LIFE, PROVIDING A READJUSTMENT PERIOD TO THE VARIOUS PRESSURES OF DAILY LIVING, AS WELL AS SOCIAL WORK COUNSELLING AND ASSISTANCE IN SOLVING PROBLEMS ARISING FROM A RETURN TO NORMAL COMMUNITY LIFE.
MR LEWIS SAID THAT ALTHOUGH STEADY PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT REHABILITATION, A GREATER IMPACT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE, AND SUPPORT FROM THE MEDIA WAS IMPORTANT.
HE SUGGESTED THAT T.V. PRODUCERS SHOULD BRING MORE DISABLED PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAMMES.
DURING THE CEREMONY, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MISS CHEUNG MAN-YEE, WAS PRESENTED WITH THE AWARD BY MR M.B. LEE, NATIONAL SECRETARY OF HONG KONG TO REHABILITATION INTERNATIONAL.
IN HER VOTE OF THANKS, MISS CHEUNG STRESSED THAT THE HONOUR SHOULD BE SHARED BY ALL WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS THE PRODUCTION OF THE API.
/+ALTHOUGH CIS