Dick Spring
Question:201 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the current guidelines his Department use in determining the fitness of people with mental handicaps to live in the mainstream of society.
Written Answers. - Departmental Guidelines.
Dick Spring
Question:202 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the current guidelines used in determining the locations of communities in which recently deinstitutionalised people with mental handicaps will live.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together. Before a person with a mental handicap is offered a place in the community, a thorough assessment is carried out by a multi-disciplinary team to assess the person's ability to cope with living in the community. The assessment includes the level and nature of support provided by the person's family. Persons with mental handicap also participate in training programmes designed to ease the transition to community living.
Comprehensive community services are being put in place at local level in each health board area in line with Government policy as outlined in the Report of the Review Group on Mental Handicap —"Needs and Abilities". A decision as to the ability of a person with mental handicap to live in the community, and the suitability of any particular community to receive such people are matters for decision by the Director of Services of the agency responsible for the person.