Rehabilitation and welfare restructuring in East Asia: deciphering an assessment tool for people with disabilities in Hong Kong

While many East Asian economies have in the past witnessed the coexistence of economic growth and modern welfare provisions, this has no longer been the case since the Asian Financial Crisis. This article is an attempt to unravel the latent policy objectives behind an assessment tool for residential...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Disability & society 2006-10, Vol.21 (6), p.583-598
Main Authors: Lee, Tsor-kui, Lee, James
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accessibility (for Disabled)
Asia
Asian studies
Assessment
Barriers
Change Strategies
Dependents
Disabilities
Disability
Disability Identification
Disabled people
East Asia
Economic growth
Evaluation
Evaluation Methods
Financial crisis
Foreign Countries
Handicapped
Health
Hong Kong
Human Dignity
Independent Living
Performance Factors
Physically Handicapped
Policy Implementation
Public Policy
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Programs
Residential care
Residential Programs
Screening Tests
Social policy
Welfare
Welfare policy
Welfare Services
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Summary:While many East Asian economies have in the past witnessed the coexistence of economic growth and modern welfare provisions, this has no longer been the case since the Asian Financial Crisis. This article is an attempt to unravel the latent policy objectives behind an assessment tool for residential services ostensibly aimed at rationalizing residential services for people with physical and/or mental disabilities in Hong Kong. The central argument is that such a policy instrument, whilst appearing technocratic and professional in policy discourse, nonetheless fails to hide its true purpose of implementation - the rationalization of welfare resources within a cutback environment. Moreover, in screening out people with disabilities, the new Assessment Tool further perpetuates a rehabilitation service rooted in paternalism and traditionalism, a service which sees those affected by disabilities as dependent and helpless, and which moves ever further away from the ideals of inclusion, dignity and independent living.
ISSN:0968-7599
1360-0508
DOI:10.1080/09687590600918065