ENG-1995 — Page 220

SOCIAL WELFARE

Rehabilitation of People with a Disability

The objective of Hong Kong's rehabilitation services is to integrate people with a disability into the community. The territory has about 264 000 individuals with some form of disability. Services provided by government departments and non- governmental organisations help disabled people to fully develop their physical, mental and social capabilities. These services are co-ordinated by the Commissioner for Rehabilitation, who also conducts regular reviews of the Rehabilitation Pro- gramme Plan which projects the requirements for, and identifies shortfalls and overprovision in, rehabilitation services in the following five years. A White Paper on Rehabilitation was issued in June, setting out the government's policy decisions on the further development of rehabilitation services for the next decade and beyond.

The Legislative Council passed the Disability Discrimination Ordinance in July. It gives people with a disability the means to seek redress against discrimination on the grounds of their disability which may arise in areas of employment; education; transport; access to buildings and other services; and participation in partnerships, professional organisations, clubs and sports. To enforce it, the purview of the Equal Opportunities Commission to be set up under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, will be expanded and a new District Court will be established.

Equally important is public education, which plays a vital role in changing people's perception of and attitude towards people with a disability. That is why the government is spending $34 million between 1993 and 1997 on strengthening public education on integration.

Several government departments provide rehabilitation services to people with a disability. The Department of Health is providing immunisation programmes against various communicable diseases while promoting health education to pre- vent disabilities. It also provides screening services for the early detection and identification of disabilities. The Hospital Authority is responsible for medical rehabilitation services. The Social Welfare Department plans and develops a wide range of social rehabilitation services, either through direct service provision or subvention to non-governmental organisations. The Education Department plans and develops education and related supportive services for school-aged children with a disability. The Labour Department provides job placements for people with hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical handicap, chronic illness or mental handicap and ex-mentally ill persons. The Transport Department subvents a Rehabus service for people who have difficulties in using public transport. The Vocational Training Council provides and co-ordinates vocational training for people with a disability.

The Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisations provide a wide range of rehabilitation services. Services for children include integrated programme (910 places); special child care centres (1 047 places); early education and training centres (905 places) and occasional child care service (36 places). Rehabilitation services for adults include day activity centres (2 715 places) which provide day care and training for people with a mental handicap; sheltered workshops (5 095 places) which provide employment for those unable to compete in the open job market; hostels (3 036 places); supported housing/hostel (107 places) and small group homes (56 places) for those who cannot live independently; homes/care and attention homes (325 places) for aged visually impaired persons; long-stay care home (200 places), half-way houses (857 places) and activity centres for discharged

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