Seoul City, 864 People with Disabilities De-institutionalized Over 8 Years... "De-institutionalization is a Right for People with Disabilities" Ordinance to be Codified Within the Year

'2021 Implementation Plan for Deinstitutionalization Policy for Persons with Disabilities' 4 Major Policy Directions... Total 11.1 Billion KRW Invested This Year
Development of 'Facility Unit' Deinstitutionalization Model and Strengthening Communication and Support for Institutions in Urgent Need of Deinstitutionalization

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is establishing a stable foundation for promoting Seoul's deinstitutionalization policy by enacting the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Supporting Deinstitutionalization of Persons with Disabilities (tentative name)" within this year, which legally recognizes deinstitutionalization as the inherent right of persons with disabilities.

On the 29th, Seoul announced the "2nd Deinstitutionalization Policy Implementation Plan for Persons with Disabilities 2021" and four major policy directions to be pursued throughout the year. The four major policy directions are ▲ the enactment of the nation's first deinstitutionalization ordinance for persons with disabilities, ▲ expansion and strengthening of support for deinstitutionalization of residential facilities for persons with disabilities, ▲ improvement of processes such as surveys on deinstitutionalization needs, and ▲ enhancement of housing management efficiency to support community settlement of deinstitutionalized persons with disabilities.

Seoul has been implementing a systematic comprehensive plan for deinstitutionalization, a core goal of disability human rights policy, since 2013, and a total of 864 people successfully deinstitutionalized over eight years until 2020. Following the establishment of the nation's first mid-term basic plan in 2013 (the 1st Deinstitutionalization Promotion Plan for Residential Facilities for Persons with Disabilities), the 2nd deinstitutionalization policy has been in effect since 2018. A total of 44.5 billion KRW will be invested over five years from 2018 to 2022, including 11.1 billion KRW this year.

First, Seoul will institutionalize the deinstitutionalization policy it is promoting by enacting the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Supporting Deinstitutionalization of Persons with Disabilities" within this year. This follows the 2018 declaration of the "Deinstitutionalization Rights Declaration," which announced the full promotion of deinstitutionalization for the complete social integration and human rights protection of persons with disabilities, by legally recognizing deinstitutionalization as a right.

Regarding deinstitutionalization at the "facility unit" level for facilities where human rights violations and other issues have been revealed, the focus will be on strengthening communication and support to produce policy effects that both facilities and persons with disabilities can empathize with, rather than emphasizing speed. Facility unit deinstitutionalization involves supporting independent living for residents of disability residential facilities after deinstitutionalization and converting existing facilities to new uses.

To carefully support the difficulties faced by deinstitutionalization subjects, expert advice will be provided through public-private cooperation, and measures to resolve employment insecurity of workers arising during the deinstitutionalization process will also be prepared. Facilities requiring "urgent" deinstitutionalization will receive focused support through a task force (TF) involving diverse stakeholders.

To support the deinstitutionalization of ‘Shin-A Rehabilitation Center’ (located in Songpa-gu, housing 117 residents), where a COVID-19 cluster infection occurred, a TF consisting of the facility director, academia and experts, and the Seoul Welfare Foundation was formed earlier this year, and four meetings have been held so far. Through continuous communication, a concrete deinstitutionalization plan is being developed. Last year, through public-private cooperation, deinstitutionalization support was provided for 53 out of 259 residents at ‘Lydia’s House,’ ‘Hyangyu’s House,’ and ‘Ingangwon,’ where human rights violations were revealed.

The entire process from identifying the deinstitutionalization needs of facility users to the deinstitutionalization process and post-management will be rationally improved. The deinstitutionalization needs survey is very important in deinstitutionalization policy as it forms the basis for establishing individualized and facility-specific deinstitutionalization support plans.

Seoul plans to change the current method, which relies on results identified by each residential facility, by conducting parallel surveys with external organizations such as the Seoul Welfare Foundation to enhance objectivity. This year, the survey will be pilot-applied to five large facilities housing 50 or more residents, and based on the analysis of results, the possibility of expanding the application to all residential facilities will be reviewed.

Additionally, in the housing sector, which deinstitutionalized persons with disabilities worry about the most and need the most support, Seoul will support community settlement by improving the efficiency of housing management such as supported housing. A new "case management system" for residents of independent living houses (65 locations) and supported housing (165 units) currently operated by Seoul will be established. Through customized case management for each resident, support will be strengthened to enable stable settlement in the community. The related budget will be secured this year, the system will be built next year, and case management will begin.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of Welfare Policy at Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "For the smooth deinstitutionalization of residents in facilities, various policy supports such as additional public rental housing and increased activity support services are essential, and close cooperation with the central government is necessary in this process." She added, "We hope that these demands will be sufficiently reflected in the deinstitutionalization roadmap for persons with disabilities, which the government plans to establish by August."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.