[UPDATED] Ministry: People with disabilities can apply for any grant

People with disabilities can apply for any social welfare grants offered by the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, said Sharon Rogers, director of the Disability Affairs Unit.

Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday, Rogers said although the special disability grants are larger than the public assistant grants, people can apply for any one of the grants.

“If a person wants a food card and the person has a disability, they can apply for that. If they need a grant to repair their house, a grant for pharmaceutical…the ministry has a number of grants they can apply for, even if it is to get a grant for a caregiver and (they) need financing to do that. The ministry has a short-term grant.

"Persons with disabilities can apply for any of the grants.”

Rogers said people with disabilities can collect the application forms at the social welfare office and then drop them off to a social welfare office closest to them.

She said they no longer have to return the application forms to Port of Spain.

“A doctor in the public health sector or a specialist in the private sector can fill out the form and the form can be taken to the social welfare office in their area.

She also pointed out that people from outside Port of Spain no longer needed to come into the capital.

"They can now go to the San Fernando office, Chaguanas and other offices closest to them,” Roger said.

She said the ministry has started a number of initiatives and has put disability issues high on the agenda for 2020.

She said one of the major programmes the ministry is working to improve is the National Enrichment Centre, which was recommissioned in December 2018.

“The centre is being offered as a resource location so that organisations that serve persons with disabilities, they are using the facility for events, meetings, health fairs and different activities.

“But we are also putting things in place for the operationalisation of the National Empowerment Centre Community Therapeutic Services for persons with disabilities.”

Rogers said among the projects targeted for this year is assessment of the disability sector in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank, respite care for people who care for those with disabilities, and improvements to the ELDAMO Service.

In a release, the ministry’s permanent secretary Jacinta Bailey-Sobers said after the revision and approval of the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities in 2019, several partner ministries that are responsible for carrying out various aspects of the policy – accessibility, education, health, the right to work and employment, women and children with disabilities, the right to equal justice – have been asked to seek funding for the various short-term requirements outlined in the policy.

Bailey-Sobers said the ministry was looking forward to the upcoming census and survey of living conditions, two important exercises which would provide necessary information on the number of people with disabilities in the population.

She also said through the Child Registry Project of the Gender and Child Development Division of the Office of the Prime Minister, the ministry would receive data on children born with disabilities.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

People with disability can apply for any social welfare grants offered by the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, said Sharon Rogers, director of the Disability Affairs Unit.

Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday, Rogers said although the special disability grants are larger than the public assistant grants, people can apply for any one of the grants.

“If a person wants a food card and the person has a disability, they can apply for that. If they need a grant to repair their house, a grant for pharmaceutical…the ministry has a number of grants they can apply for, even if it is to get a grant for a caregiver and (they) need financing to do that. The ministry has a short-term grant.

"Persons with disabilities can apply for any of the grant.”

Rogers said people with disabilities can collect the application forms in the social welfare office and then drop it off to a social welfare office closest to them.

She said they no longer has to return the application forms to Port of Spain.

“A doctor in the public health sector or a specialist in the private sector can fill out the form and the form can be taken to the social welfare office in their area.

She also pointed out that people from outside Port of Spain no longer needed to come into the capital.

"They can now go to the San Fernando office, Chaguanas and other offices closest to them,” Roger said.

She said the ministry has started a number of initiatives and has put disability issues high on the agenda for 2020.