The Providence Garden for Rehab is a large-scale integrated rehabilitation centre which provides one-stop hostel service as well as daily living and vocational skill training to the ex-mentally ill persons, mentally handicapped and physically handicapped. The centre came into operation in March 2006, offering more than 950 places to cater for the needs of different types of disabled persons. Accompanied by the Director of the Council, the Reverend Dorothy Lau Wai-ling, Mr Cheung toured the long stay care homes for the ex-mentally ill persons, the sheltered workshop and the vocational preparatory centre. He had a good chat with the residents to get a better understanding of their daily routine in the centre.

Residents at the Providence Garden for Rehab are treated as members, not patients. They receive training in the provision of various kinds of services for the public, including laundry, gardening, cleansing and catering. Mr Cheung agreed that this was a pro-active way to help them integrate into society.

Mr Cheung said, "The Government attaches great importance to the well-being of people with disabilities. A total of $1.26 billion has been allocated for the provision of residential places for the disabled in 2009/10. In the past three years, an additional 517 subsidised residential care places for people with disabilities has been provided. It is expected that 671 more of these places will be offered in the next two years.

"Work is in full swing on converting the former Ma Tau Wai Girls' Home and South Kwai Chung Jockey Club Polyclinic into integrated rehabilitation service centres. The two centres are expected to commence operation in 2010-11, providing altogether 490 residential places, 130 day training places and 320 vocational rehabilitation service places."

Mr Cheung stressed that the Government would adopt a three-pronged approach to meet the residential needs of the disabled and to shorten the waiting time.

They are:

• regulating the operation of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (RCHDs) and introducing related complementary measures for the "Pilot Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities" to encourage Private RCHDs to upgrade their service standard, increase the supply of subsidised places of RCHDs and help the market develop more service options for persons with disabilities;



• supporting non-governmental organisations to develop self-financial homes; and



• continuing to increase the number of subsidised places of RCHDs and actively finding suitable places and resources to build more RCHDs.

"We will further consult the private RCHD sector and relevant stakeholders on the operational details of the pilot bought place scheme with a view to implementing it in 2010-11," he added.

Ends/Wednesday, February 10, 2010