Hong Kong Joint Council for People with Disabilities organised the “International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Study Tour in Taipei” from 22 to 26 January 2024, to understand and exchange information on the application and experiences of the ICF in rehabilitation services and disability assessment in Taiwan. The tour aimed to foster connections and exchanges with rehabilitation/social service organisations in Taiwan.
General Secretary William Chan Hei Lung participated in the tour, focusing on the perspective of service users to:
- Understand the challenges and potential difficulties of transitioning from traditional medical models to the ICF medical-social hybrid model in Taiwan.
- Assess if the introduction of ICF disability assessments has impacted welfare resources, institutional service planning, and population statistics.
- Understand how individuals with disabilities in Taiwan perceive this system.
The tour group visited various organisations in Taipei, including the Taiwan Society of International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health, Disability Needs Assessment Centre of Department of Social Welfare, Taipei City Government, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Taoyuan City Development Centre for the Spinal Cord Injured, and Taiwan Foundation for the Blind.
In summary, Taiwan’s disability identification is determined by a unified assessment mechanism; the Taiwanese government is responsible for promoting the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health; some Taiwanese disability organisations do not participate in government service distribution and instead seek users themselves, with most of the organisations’ revenue coming from donations.
In the future, we must pay attention to whether the actual implementation will cause existing beneficiaries with disabilities to lose support and services. Additionally, we need to encourage and promote the participation of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers in discussions surrounding the “International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health” to voice the perspectives of service users.
