‘Substantial’ help for handicapped

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 20

‘Substantial’ help for handicapped

Government gran Handicapped Childrer nearly $BOO,OOO this Health (Mr Adams-! statement on Thursday He said that this was very far from the “very minimal help” referred to by Mr J. Anderson, chief administration officer of the society, in a reply to a correspondent printed in “The Press” on Thursday. “Moreover, the figure of $BOO,OOO merely refers to the direct grants made,” said Mr Adams-Schneider. “It takes no account of the substantial expenditure by the Department of Education in providI ing teachers for intellectually handicapped children at the society’s occupation centres, for instance, nor the free fulltime care and treatment provided at hospitals for some 2600 intellectually handicapped persons. “Only this year, the capital subsidy for hostels and shortstay homes has been increased from $2BBO to a maximum of $5OOO a bed, and the capital subsidy for sheltered and opportunity workshops, formerly half the cost of land, buildings, professional fees and hard furnishings, has been increased to two-thirds of this cost. Pre-school and day-care centres which, until now, had been subsidised by individual flat rate grants now would be subsidised on a percentage basis, matching that for sheltered workshops, he said. “These new subsidies have applied since April, last,” said Mr Adams-Schneider. “A maintenance subsidy of $1.60 a day is payable in respect of children under 16 years accommodated in the society’s hostels and who are attending occupation centres and occupation groups run by the Department of Education. “After the age of 16 these people are generally eligible for a social security benefit. In addition, the salaries of the society’s branch administrators, as well as approved staff employed at the society’s workshops and day-care centres, are subsidised 50 pei cent. “This wide range of assis tance given by the Govern ment both directly and in

ts to the Intellectually t’s Society would be year, the Minister of Schneider) said in a r. directly hardly fits Mr An-1 derson’s disparaging description of minimal,” said Mr Adams-Schneider.