XN000022-1987-04-04 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1987

SHE SAID THAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS MAKING A CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT IN THE CARE AND TRAINING OF THE MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULTS.

+THE COST OF THIS SERVICE TO OUR 4 000 SEVERE OR LOW-MODERATE GRADE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS CAN BE VERY HIGH,

+FOR INSTANCE, IT COSTS ABOUT $50 000 A YEAR TO PROVIDE A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS CATEGORY WITH RESIDENTIAL CARE AND WORK ACTIVITIES.

+TO GET THIS FIGURE INTO PERSPECTIVE, IT REPRESENTS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT AS IT COSTS TO PROVIDE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT'S EDUCATION FOR A YEAR, SHE SAID.

HOWEVER, SHE NOTED THAT THERE WAS ONE BIG DIFFERENCE.

+THE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE IS BEING TRAINED TO BECOME A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.

+OUR ADULT MENTALLY HANDICAPPED ARE LIKELY TO NEED SOME FORM OF LIFE-TIME CARE AND SUPPORT, FINANCED FROM PUBLIC REVENUE, UNLESS OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR THEM ARE CAREFULLY TAILORED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH MAXIMUM SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, SHE SAID.

+THIS PROBLEM REPRESENTS A NEW CHALLENGE TO OUR SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION, SHE ADDED.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THERE WERE 21 WORK ACTIVITY CENTRES CATERING FOR 1 030 TRAINEES.

THE PLAN WAS TO ESTABLISH ANOTHER 18 CENTRES WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 200 PLACES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THE ESTIMATED TOTAL DEMAND FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR THIS GROUP WOULD REACH 1 000 PERSONS.

SHE STRESSED THAT THIS EXPENSIVE PROGRAMME HAD TO BE CAREFULLY ASSESSED AND MONITORED TO ATTAIN TWO OBJECTIVES.

+THE FIRST IS TO SEE THAT THE SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES INVESTED IN THE WORK ACTIVITY CENTRE IS USED TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAS THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMME AND A PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED SYLLABUS,+ SHE SAID.

SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION MIGHT BE TO TRANSLATE OUR LOCAL EXPERIENCE AND CURRENT PRACTICES INTO A FORMAL TRAINING PACKAGE WHICH COVERED ALL ASPECTS OF THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS' WORK AND DAILY LIFE.

+JUST AS IMPORTANT IS THE OTHER OBJECTIVE: THAT THESE CENTRES ASSIST THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE IN TERMS OF VOCATIONAL SKILLS AS WELL AS SELF-CARE AND SOCIAL RELATIONS,+ SHE SAID.

/+AND THE