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In response to press enquiries, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (August 21) that the release of Comprehensive Social Security Allowance (CSSA) payments to the eligible residents of drug treatment and rehabilitation centres (DTRC) was approved in accordance with the existing CSSA policy and in their best interests for rehabilitation and pursuing studies.
"Under the existing provisions of the CSSA Scheme, people undergoing residential drug treatment and rehabilitation in a DTRC, who have to separate from their families and cannot go out to work, can apply for the welfare payment on their own for paying the accommodation fee and related expenses. However, they must pass the means test of the scheme," he said.
"While processing the applications, SWD staff will contact the applicants and their family members to look into their family backgrounds, including their financial and other conditions, and require parents to make declaration on a need basis. CSSA payment will be approved only when it is ascertained that the families could not financially support the applicants."
He stressed that the CSSA Scheme aimed at rendering assistance to people with genuine financial difficulties and families with adequate means had every responsibility to pay for the living and schooling expenses of their children.
According to records, about 80% of the CSSA-receiving students of Christian Zheng Sheng College come from families with a monthly income of $15,000 or below. The expenditure of more than $10,000 on school and boarding fees had imposed a financial burden on them. The remaining cases involved different situations, such as inadequate family support due to poor family relationship.
Every CSSA case had been vetted before approval. In the cases that the families could provide financial support to their children to a certain extent, the amount of CSSA payment had been adjusted accordingly.
The spokesman said the department would review each CSSA case on a regular basis to ensure the eligibility of CSSA recipients.
Ends/Friday, August 21, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:52
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