Progress in the development of services for persons with disabilities in Jamaica, 1988 to 1997

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the extent of services for persons with disabilities in Jamaica and the progress made in the past 10 years. A questionnaire was sent to 23 agencies; 22 responded. The main constraints were poor data collection and lack of current prevalence data. 14 agencies provide for all types of disability; the rest cater for single disability groups. Eight provide mainly special education programmes, three mainly assessment services, three provide community base rehabilitation (one, early intervention; two, medical rehabilitation), three provide residential care and nine vocational services. Coverage varies considerably and there is inequitable distribution of services for adults compared with children. The majority of clients are in the rural areas and there is marked inequity among the parishes. The largest disability group is those with intellectual disabilities, followed by physical, hearing and visual disabilities. Intellectual disability is under-served in relation to its prevalence. The school age groups is the main beneficiary. In all categories for disability and in most age groups more males receive services than females. There had been an increased demand for services over the past 10 years, but only a small increase in provision. The main expansion has been in community based rehabilitation, moving from 750 clients in 1988 to 2 365 now; and special education, with doubling of the number of school places. The great need for psychological services identified in 1988 has not been met. There have been increase in budgetary provision to offset rapidly increasing costs but very little investment in new programmes.(AU)