WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1992
21
CALL FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS TO CARE FOR THE HANDICAPPED
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD KEEP UP ITS EFFORT TO BUILD NEW HOSTELS FOR THE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED UNTIL THE DEMAND WAS FULLY
MET, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON VINCENT CHENG HOI-CHUEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MRS WONG SAID SIX NEW HOSTELS AND TWO EXPANSION PROJECTS WOULD BE COMPLETED IN THE CURRENT AND NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR, PROVIDING 467 ADDITIONAL PLACES.
AMONG THEM, THE PO LEUNG KUK Y.C. CHENG CENTRE, A SPECIALLY DESIGNED HOSTEL CUM DAY ACTIVITY CENTRE WITH A CAPACITY OF 200 HOSTEL PLACES WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
"WE PLAN TO PROVIDE A FURTHER 390 ADDITIONAL PLACES, OF WHICH 340 PLACES ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE BY 1994/95.
"ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED A PILOT SCHEME ON RESPITE SERVICE AND WE PLAN TO INTRODUCE A NEW CARE AND ATTENTION SERVICE.
"THREE SUCH HOMES PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 120 PLACES ARE TO BE COMPLETED BY 1995/96," SHE SAID.
PERSONS AWAITING
OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 1,469 PLACEMENT, 735 ARE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
REGARDING THE CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO INSTITUTIONS, SHE SAID THE INDIVIDUAL MUST BE ASSESSED BY PSYCHOLOGIST TO BE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.
"
EXPECTED
RESIDENTIAL
RESIDENTIAL
A CLINICAL
THE INDIVIDUAL MUST ALSO HAVE SPECIAL SOCIAL NEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE WHO WERE HOMELESS, OR CAME FROM AN UNFAVOURABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT AND WHO COULD NOT LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, SHE ADDED.
"BARRING CASES REQUIRING MEDICAL CARE, SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS ARE ADMITTED AS LONG AS THEY SATISFY THE ABOVE CRITERIA AND AS VACANCIES EXIST, SHE SAID.
OF
MRS WONG NOTED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN A NUMBER MEASURES TO ASSIST FAMILIES TO LOOK AFTER THEIR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
APART FROM INCREASING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL PLACES, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT YET IN THESE HOSTELS, A HIGHER DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, PRESENTLY AT $1,450 PER MONTH PER INDIVIDUAL, HAS BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE 1987 TO HELP PARENTS LOOK AFTER THOSE WHO NEED SPECIAL CARE HOME.
AT
ANY SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON WHO REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENDANCE IN HIS DAILY LIFE BUT IS NOT RECEIVING SUCH CARE IN A GOVERNMENT OR SUBVENTED INSTITUTION IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE ALLOWANCE.
/SHE POINTED