17
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1992
IMPROVED SERVICES FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
* *
THE GOVERNMENT 18 DETERMINED TO EXTINGUISH THE EXISTING SHORTFALL
HOSTEL AS WELL AS DAY ACTIVITY CENTRE FACILITIES FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION, MR ALLAN CHOW, SAID.
MR CHOW GAVE THIS ASSURANCE WHEN HE MET A GROUP OF PARENTS OF SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ALSO ATTENDED THE MEETING WERE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND A FEW NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS.
IN
MR CHOW SAID THE NUMBER OF HOSTEL PLACES INCREASED FROM 488 1988-89 TO 896 IN 1991-92, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 84 PER CENT. THE NUMBER OF PLACES IN DAY ACTIVITY CENTRES ALSO INCREASED BY 50 PER CENT TO 600 DURING THE SAME PERIOD.
"THE FIGURES TESTIFY TO THE HARD WORK PUT IN BY BOTH GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS OVER THE YEARS IN EXPANDING SERVICES FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS," MR CHOW SAID.
"AND BETWEEN 1992-93 AND 1995-96, A TOTAL OF 489 ADDITIONAL HOSTEL PLACES AND 120 CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES HAVE BEEN PLANNED.
中平
ON THE SHORTAGE OF PLACES FOR THOSE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS REQUIRING MEDICAL CARE, MR CHOW SAID WITH THE EXPECTED COMPLETION OF THE PAMELA YOUDE HOSPITAL IN 1992-93 AND THE SIU LAM EXPANSION PROJECT IN 1993-94, AN ADDITIONAL 100 AND 300 PLACES WILL BE PROVIDED RESPECTIVELY.
THE PARENTS WERE ALSO INFORMED OF THE OPTIONS BEING EXPLORED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOSTEL PLACES. THESE INCLUDE THE PROCUREMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND THE PROPOSED BOUGHT PLACE SCHEME.
IN THE MEANTIME, A WIDE RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES IS BEING PROVIDED то THOSE AWAITING HOSTEL PLACEMENT INCLUDING HOME-BASED TRAINING SERVICE, HIGHER DISABILITY ALLOWANCE AND THE RESPITE SERVICE.
FOR
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SECURE FINANCIAL SUPPORT INTERESTED NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS TO SET UP PARENTS RESOURCES CENTRES.
MR CHOW ALSO TOLD THE PARENTS THAT THE EXISTING DAY ACTIVITY CENTRES WERE ALSO CATERED FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
LATEST STATISTICS SHOW THAT OVER HALF OR 58 PER CENT OF THE ENROLLED TRAINEES IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED DAY ACTIVITY CENTRES ARE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
P
"TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM EFFECTIVELY, THERE CONCERTED EFFORT BY GOVERNMENT, NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, MR CHOW SAID.
"I
IS A NEED FOR ORGANISATIONS,
J
/18