Guidelines for the Implementation of the Auxiliary Social Services for Persons with Disabilities

May 13, 2003

DSWD ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 059-03

 

I. Rationale:

Republic Act No. 7277, An Act Providing for the Rehabilitation, Self-Development Self Reliance of Disabled Persons and their Integration into the Mainstream of Society and For Other Purposes, known as Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, ensures that marginalized persons are provided with the necessary auxiliary services that will restore their social functioning and participation in community affairs.

The provision of services on assistance for physical restoration, self and social enhancement, after care and follow-up, etc. among others for persons with disabilities will enhance their capability to attain a more meaningful, productive, and satisfying way of life and ultimately become self-reliant and contributing members of society.

With the implementation of the Local Government Code of 1991, the responsibility for the provision of the auxiliary services now rest on the local chief executives who shall assign the implementation of these services to the local social worker in the municipality/city. It is therefore necessary that appropriate guidelines are issued for the purpose to ensure standard implementation of these auxiliary services.

II. Definition of Terms:

The following terms are defined for the purpose of this order:

1. Disability — any restriction or lack of ability resulting from impairment to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. THSaEC

2. Person with Disability — an individual whose prospects of securing and retaining suitable employment are substantially reduced as a result of physical or mental impairment.

3. Rehabilitation — the combined and coordinated use of medical, social, educational and vocational measures for training or retraining the individual to the highest possible level of functional ability.

4. Social Services — these services are aimed at assisting the beneficiaries to help themselves adjust and participate in a community, with the end goal of maximizing their social functioning.

5. Auxiliary Social Services — as defined in R.A. 7277 are the supportive activities in the delivery of social services to the marginalized sectors of society.

6. Impairment — is any loss, diminution or aberration of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure of functions (R.A. 7277).

7. Handicap — refers to a disadvantaged for a given individual, resulting from an impairment of a disability, that limits or prevents the function of activity, that is considered normal given the age and sex of the individual (R.A. 7277).

III. Objectives

1. To reduce the handicapping effects of disability by providing rehabilitation services.

2. To ensure that persons with disability are enabled to participate fully in the affairs of their communities.

3. To create public awareness on the problems of persons with disability and their right to social equity.

IV. Project Components:

1. Situational Analysis — this involves steps taken by the LGU staff to help him/her understand the problem areas and needs of a client. HAaDTI

a) Secure data on persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Provincial/City/Municipal Planning Office, Public Employment Service Office, Office of Persons with Disabilities Affairs or Provincial City/Municipal Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Disabled Persons or any existing unit that may have data on persons with disabilities.

b) Organize and analyze gathered data e.g. profile of persons with disabilities.

2. Social Preparation — with the statistics on persons with disabilities, the municipal/city social welfare officer shall initiate a meeting with the Local Chief Executive (LCE).

a) Inform the LCE on the prevalence of disability, profile of PWDs and the social welfare program for PWDs.

b) Discuss the program of persons with disabilities with the end goal of securing the support of the Local Chief Executive in the implementation of the Auxiliary Social Services.

3. Implementation of Program and Services:

 The program for persons with disabilities that were devolved to the local government units can be operationalized through the Auxiliary Social Services as provided for in Chapter 4 of RA 7277 or in Rule V of its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

3.1 Assistance for Physical Restoration:

 The City/Municipal Social Worker shall provide these services through the following:

a. Provide financial subsidy for the acquisition of assistive devices and medical intervention on specialty services. This service provides assistance to marginalized PWD to improve his/her physical residual capacity through medical intervention and/or use of assistive devices. The City/Municipal Social Worker shall undertake the following: TIADCc

1) Inform the community of the availability of the assistance for physical restoration services for PWDs.

2) Refer the client to a doctor in any government hospital to determine the need for physical restoration and the provision of assistive devices and medical interventions.

3) Consult and coordinate with rehabilitation physician the need for assistive devices and/or medical intervention to restore residual physical capacities.

4) Mobilize resources of the family, the community and coordinate with government and non-government agencies involved in PWDs to assist in hospitalization and other needs while client is undergoing prosthesis fitting and medical intervention services.

5) Discuss with the PWD and his family upon recommendation for assistive devices and/or medical intervention by the doctor, the advantages and disadvantages of the intervention. CSTDIE

6) Motivate and counsel client to undergo the treatment, if necessary.

7) Whenever necessary, the transportation assistance shall be provided to enable the PWDs to travel to and from the hospital.

8) Refer the client to the government hospital to avail of prosthetic devices and/or surgical operation.

 The Provincial Social Welfare Officer can be tapped to help provide the necessary financial assistance to the client. aCSDIc

b. Provision of auxiliary aids and services

 The Social Worker shall coordinate with appropriate government and non-government agencies for the provision of the following services:

1) Services of qualified interpreters and readers shall be provided by the organizing agency when these services are necessary in their projects or activities.

2) Training program shall be provided for direct service workers of agencies where services of interpreters or readers would facilitate communication.

3) Program for training of specialist to facilitate the learning process of people with mental disability.

4) Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, like voice synthesizer, to facilitate communication.

3.2 Self and Social Enhancement Service

a. Provision of specialized training activities designed to improve functional limitations of PWDs related to communication skills. This service shall assist the marginalized PWD with hearing and/or speech and visual impairment. The goal of the service is to enable the client to communicate his/her needs and ideas thru skills learned and improve his/her social interaction with people. The following procedures shall be undertaken by the city/municipal social worker:

1) Identify PWDs with communication skills problem and if feasible, group them together. If this is not possible, individualized training shall be provided. These PWDs shall include: cDTSHE

a) Visually impaired persons who need to learn braille reading and writing for social and economic functions.

b) PWD who has hearing and/or speech impairment and has not developed a language to communicate and relate with other persons to enable him/her to participate in family and community life.

c) Other PWDs such as those with cerebral palsy shall be provided these services if and when necessary.

2) Identify the pool of resource persons who will train the above-mentioned PWDs e.g. trained DSWD workers in Community Based Project for Hearing Impaired (CBPHI) for the deaf or in Rehabilitation of Rural Blind workers for the visually impaired, Special Education teachers from the Department of Education (Dep Ed) and NGOs involved in the development of communication skills for the PWDs.

3) Refer to the proper venue for the training as specified by Section 14 on Special Education of the Code e.g. use of day care centers, senior citizen centers, barangay halls and others.

4) Set training schedule which is convenient and shall accommodate not only PWD but his family member/s as well. It is important for family members to attend and learn in order for the whole family to be able to communicate with disabled member. This is especially true for hearing impaired person. The length of training will depend on the ability of the PWD to learn the skills.

 When necessary, in addition to braille reading and writing or total communication skills, the PWDs shall undergo social-academics which includes development of knowledge and understanding of weights, measures, time, signing of name, use of public facilities such as telephones, post office and public transportation. ECDaAc

 PWDs with speech impairment not secondary to deafness, e.g. stroke victims, trauma, harelip etc., shall be referred to speech training.

b. Development among PWDs of a positive self-image through the provision of counseling, orientation and mobility and strengthening of daily living capability.

1) Individual and Group Counseling

 The PWD who is willing to undergo physical, social, vocational rehabilitation shall be provided counseling services by the social worker either through individual or group sessions. The goal of the service is to encourage PWDs to share their problems in order to have a greater understanding of their causes. From this understanding they will commit themselves to taking action that will solve their problems. As a result, they will gain confidence in their ability to decide and find solutions to their problems. When necessary, the social worker shall conduct and refer the client to existing government and non-governmental agencies providing counseling services in the area.  

2) Orientation and Mobility Training — the social worker shall identify resource persons in the community, who can assist persons with visual impairment and mentally challenged persons learn to travel independently and safely.

3) Daily Living Skills — The Social Worker shall help the PWD learn skill for daily living e.g. personal hygiene and other activities within the house through the assistance of family member. He/She can do this by direct teaching of the PWDs or through a member of the family. Daily Living Activities training include skills in bathing, getting dressed, washing clothes, cleaning the house and other activities that people do from the time they wake up to the time they sleep. cESDCa

c. Organize Persons with disabilities into Self-Help Groups (SHG) for purposes of livelihood as cooperative, sports and recreation, socio-cultural and other group activities.

1. To identify and train a core of persons with disability who shall in turn train others on effective leadership, group management, advocacy and other social skills.

2) To provide support to persons with disability in establishing, managing and strengthening self-help groups and income-generating projects.

3.3 After Care and Follow-Up Service

 Provision of after care and follow-up services for the continued rehabilitation on a community based setting of PWDs who were released from residential care or rehabilitation centers. The Social Worker shall assist the PWDs in the reintegration process into his family and community with the goal of enabling him to start and become productive, self-reliant and contributing member of society.

1) The local social worker shall work with the family of the PWD in preparation for his/her release upon receipt of referral notice from the referring institution.

2) The social worker shall prepare the family for the eventual return of the PWD utilizing her skills in case management.

3) Resource of the community should be mobilized to provide necessary resources to help in the integration of the PWD in his/her family and community.

3.4 Day Care Service

 Provision of Day Care Services for children with disabilities of pre-school age. It is the aim of this service to integrate the child with disability with existing day care services in order for him to grow as normal as possible inspite of his/her disabilities. The normal children in the Day Care Center shall be helped to be more understanding of the plight of the child with disability by letting him/her participate in everyday activities. The following activities shall be undertaken by the social worker. DTCSHA

1. Prepare the child with disability and his/her family for reintegration in a regular day care center nearest his/her residence. Advice them on what to do, the things to be learned and the people the child with disability will be dealing with.

2. Coordinate with day care worker on how to handle a child with disability and what activities can be given so that all the children can participate in. Assist the day care worker in developing these skills.

3. Assist Day Care Worker in encouraging parents of children with disabilities to participate in Day Care Projects/activities.

 Project Tuloy Aral Walang Sagabal (TAWAG) was developed by DSWD to achieve the goal of mainstreaming children with disability of pre-school age into the Day Care Service Program and eventually into the regular school. This project is to be implemented by the Local Government Units through the C/MSWDO. Provision of the Day Care Services to children with disabilities are facilitated by trained Roving Day Care Workers.

3.5 Family Care Services

 Provision of Family Care Services. This is geared towards assisting the PWD who is not adequately cared for due to rejection or inadequate knowledge and skills of the family in caring of a PWD. To achieve this goal, the Social Worker shall undertake the following activities:

1. The Social Worker shall assist the family determine their strengths and weaknesses in coping with the problems brought about by the client's disability.

2. The Social Worker shall work with the PWD and his family, develop a plan of activities aimed at meeting the care giving needs of the person with disability. Where knowledge and skill of the family in care giving is lacking, the Social Worker shall help tap resources, such as the health authorities or other members of the community to teach any family member of the PWD, the necessary care needed. HAEDIS

3. The Social Worker shall see to it that plans are implemented. Follow-up shall be conducted to encourage the family and provide the moral support needed thus helping reduce any stress that may arise as a result of prolonged care by family members.

3.6 Substitute Family Care

 Provision of Substitute Family Care services and the facilities for abandoned, neglected, abused unattached PWD who need custodial care. Substitute parental and family care shall be provided by the State to abandoned, neglected, unattached, marginalized person with disability in residential care facilities.

1. Applicants or referrals shall be assessed by the Local Social Worker to ensure that the PWD shall be referred to the nearest available residential care facility where he/she resides. The facility may be managed by the government or a licensed/accredited non-government organization.

2) The residential care shall provide rehabilitation services with the aim of acquiring skills on self-care, socialization and independent living for eventual re-integration to the community. IHCacT

 The Local Government Unit shall make sure that the necessary funds are available for the implementation of the above services. The DSWD and the Provincial Government shall also earmarked augmentation fund for this purpose.

3.7 Job Search Services

 Provision of financial assistance/allowance to PWDs for their taxi/bus fare, police and fiscal clearances, NBI clearances and other while looking for a job. This in effect would be a developmental assistance for PWDs.

 Link with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)/Public Employment Service Office (PESO) for jobs fairs/job opportunities for PWDs. HcSETI

V. Monitoring, Evaluation and Technical Assistance:

This shall include the following:

1. Regular monitoring of the project and reporting of the status of the implementation to the DSWD Field Office shall be done by the LGU stuff.

2. Regular technical assistance by DSWD Central Office and Field Office staff to LGUs.

3. Annual evaluation as basis for further program enrichment/development.

VI. Delineation of Responsibilities:

1. DSWD Central Office

a) Provide technical assistance to DSWD Field Offices in the operationalization of auxiliary social services.

b) Conduct capability building to LGUs and other intermediaries together with the Field Office.

c) Conduct research and documentation on the project implementation including success stories and best practices which can be used for advocacy.

2. DSWD Field Office

a) Provide technical assistance to LGUs and other intermediaries in the operationalization of programs and services to PWDs.

b) Conduct training of implementors in coordination with the DSWD-Central Office.

c) Submit periodic report to the Central Office on the implementation of programs and services to PWDs.

3. Local Government Unit (Municipal/City level) HSEcTC

a) Identify target beneficiaries and undertake social preparation activities for persons with disability.

b) Identify, generate and mobilize resources for the provision of social services.

c) Develop and maintain linkages with NGOs, POs and other GOs.

This Order shall take effect immediately and revoke all other previous guidelines inconsistent with it.

 

(SGD.) CORAZON JULIANO-SOLIMANSecretary