Naju-si to Operate 'Emergency Care Center' from Next Month... Resolving Care Gaps

Naju City in Jeollanam-do will operate an emergency care center starting next month to address care gaps caused by unexpected situations such as hospitalization or family events of guardians of people with developmental disabilities.

On the 18th, the city announced that the Naju branch of the Jeonnam Association of the Deaf was selected as the implementing agency for the developmental disability emergency care pilot project, which was publicly recruited by Jeollanam-do.

Naju City Hall exterior view
[Photo by Naju City]

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This project provides care services for people with developmental disabilities aged 6 to under 65 when their guardians face urgent situations such as hospitalization, death, disasters, family events, or psychological exhaustion. Care is provided once for 1 to 7 days, with a maximum of 30 days annually.

It is being piloted this year as part of the lifelong care enhancement measures for people with developmental disabilities announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on November 29 last year.

Last month, Jeollanam-do called for applications from corporations and organizations equipped with the capacity, experience, facilities, and personnel to provide services for people with developmental disabilities.

Through evaluation, the Naju branch of the Jeonnam Association of the Deaf was selected in the Naju area, securing 270 million KRW in national funds and 35 million KRW in provincial funds.

The city decided to additionally allocate 50 million KRW to the previously budgeted 81 million KRW to provide safer and more robust care services for people with developmental disabilities.

On the 28th, after signing a consignment agreement with the Naju branch of the Jeonnam Association of the Deaf, the center is scheduled to begin operations at the end of next month following a preparation period.

The developmental disability emergency care center will operate separately by gender, with one facility for males and one for females, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s project guidelines. Each facility has a capacity of 4 residents.

The center provides 24-hour customized care services including daily living activities such as washing and meals, walking and leisure activities, transportation, and psychological counseling for people with developmental disabilities.

The daily usage fee and meal cost are each 15,000 KRW. Basic livelihood security recipients and lower-income groups can use the service free of charge except for meal costs.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Through the selection for the developmental disability emergency care center project, we have established a safer and more detailed care system that alleviates the care burden on people with developmental disabilities and their guardians even in unexpected emergency situations.”

He added, “We will spare no effort in cooperation and support to provide optimal services to people with developmental disabilities who need care.”

Naju = Lee Han-hyeok, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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