XN000022-1992-01-29 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1992

HOME-BASED

SHE POINTED OUT THAT OF THE WHOLE RANGE OF SERVICES FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS, THERE WERE SPECIFICALLY FIVE TRAINING TEAMS.

THESE TEAMS PROVIDE TRAINING TO 400 FAMILIES AT ANY ONE TIME,

THEIR TO HELP FAMILIES TO LOOK AFTER

SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED RELATIVES AT HOME.

MRS WONG URGED NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS, THE COMMUNITY LARGE AND PARENTS TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT BETTER CARE FOR THE HANDICAPPED.

AT

IN

PROVIDING

"THE VALUE OF A CO-ORDINATED JOINT EFFORT HAS BEEN ADVANCED MANY LEADING AUTHORITIES IN THIS FIELD AND HAS BEEN RECOGNISED IN SIXTH ASIAN CONFERENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF SERVICES FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS AND, INDEED, HAS BEEN PRACTISED IN HONG KONG,

BY

THE

SHE

SAID.

ADEQUATE SHELTERS AND BLANKETS FOR THOSE IN NEED

*

PERSONS WHO NEED SHELTER FROM THE COLD CAN GO TO THE SHELTERS IN COMMUNITY CENTRES AND STREET SLEEPERS ARE GIVEN ADEQUATE BLANKETS TO KEEP THEM WARM.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ZACHARY WONG WAI-YIN IN THE LEGISATIVE COUNCIL.

MRS WONG SAID: "WHEN IT IS FORECAST THAT THE TEMPERATURE WILL FALL TO 10 DEGREES CELSIUS OR BELOW DURING COLD WEATHER, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL DISTRIBUTE BLANKETS AND SLEEPING BAGS то STREET SLEEPERS.

"THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WILL OPEN SHELTERS IN COMMUNITY CENTRES AND ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRES FOR PERSONS WHO NEED SHELTER FROM THE COLD."

SHE EMPHASISED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF ITS BLANKETS AND SLEEPING BAGS.

"THERE IS VERY LITTLE DEMAND FOR

WARM CLOTHING. ACCORDINGLY,

ONLY BLANKETS AND SLEEPING BAGS ARE DISTRIBUTED DURING A COLD SPELL, SHE SAID.

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SHE ADDED THAT STREET BLANKET IF THERE WAS A NEED.

SLEEPERS COULD ASK FOR MORE THAN ONE

"THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTING BLANKETS AND SLEEPING BAGS AND OPENING SHELTERS WHEN IT IS FORECAST THAT THE TEMPERATURE WILL DROP TO 10 DEGREES CELSIUS OR SATISFACTORY, MRS WONG SAID.

"

BELOW ARE CONSIDERED

/ON THE