XN000022-1989-11-23 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1989

$14 MILLION FOR IMPROVING REHABILITATION SERVICES

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THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE (RDCC) HAS ENDORSED A PROPOSAL ON THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR MAJOR AND MINOR IMPROVEMENTS TO REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR 1990-91.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION, MR ALAN WONG, SAID AT A RDCC MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT A TOTAL OF $14 MILLION HAD BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.

HE SAID TWO MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR. OVER $4.8 MILLION WOULD BE USED FOR THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL TEACHERS FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND A SIMILAR AMOUNT WOULD GO TOWARDS EXTENDING THE STANDARD COSTS APPLICABLE ΤΟ SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES AND RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES.

IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT ALSO ALLOCATED $1.7 MILLION AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTED A TOTAL OF $1.6 MILLION FROM THEIR SAVINGS, TOWARDS MINOR IMPROVEMENT PORJECTS FOR 1990-91. HE SAID.

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MR WONG SAID ONE MINOR IMPROVEMENT WAS TO IMPLEMENT A NEW RATE OF INCENTIVE PAYMENT TO SHELTERED WORKSHOP WORKERS. FUNDS HAD BEEN BUDGETTED FOR THE PAY ADJUSTMENT TO TAKE EFFECT FROM LAST MONTIL.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED ESTABLISHING A EMPLOYMENT UNIT AND EXPANDING THE REHABUS NETWORK.

SUPPORTED

MR WONG SAID A SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT MODEL WAS INTRODUCED LAST YEAR TO COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING OPEN AND SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE DISABLED.

IT WAS AIMED PARTICULARLY AT HELPING THOSE DISABLED PERSONS WHO WERE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN SHELTERED WORKERS BUT WHO OTHERWISE COULD NOT COMPETE FOR OPEN EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT ON-GOING SUPPORT.

'A TWO-YEAR PILOT SCHEME WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH A MOBILE CREW COMPRISING 12 MODERATELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED MEMBERS TO TAKE UP CONTRACTED- CLEANSING TASKS AFTER UNDERGOING A ONE-YEAR TRAINING COURSE.

"IT IS CONSIDERED THE SCHRME WILL BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IN BROADENING THE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS OF THE DISABLED AND IN REDUCING THE RELIANCE OF THE MORE PRODUCTIVE DISABLED PERSONS ON SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT." HE SAID.

FOUND TO то OTHER

MR WONG TOLD THE RDCC MEMBERS THAT IF THE SCHEME WAS BE SUCCESSFUL, CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO EXTENDING IT TYPES OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT MODELS. FOR TILE BENEFIT OF VARIOUS DISABILITY GROUPS.

ON THE REHABUS NETWORK, MR WONG SAID THAT AS TRANSPORT WAS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE IN FACILITATING THE INTEGRATION OF THE DISABLED IN EMPLOYMENT. EDUCATION OR OTHER MATTERS. IT WAS NECESSARY TO FINANCE FOUR NEW ROUTES TO BE OPENED IN 1990-91, TO SERVE SHA TIN-TSUEN WAN; SHEUNG SHUT/FANLING-TAI PO: KWUN TONG-SHAM SHUT PO: AND WONG TAI SIN-TSIM SHA TSUI.

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