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Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Kwok-che and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (April 28):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council of the respective numbers of service units under the Community Mental Health Intervention Project, Community Mental Health Care Services, Community Mental Health Link as well as Training and Activity Centre for Ex-mentally Ill Persons, together with the total amounts of funds allocated to such units in the 2009-2010 financial year (set out in the table below)?
Total amount of
Name of Number of funds allocated to
programme service units the service units
--------- ------------- ------------------
Community
Mental Health
Intervention
Project
Community
Mental Health
Care Services
Community
Mental Health
Link
Training and
Activity Centre
for Ex-mentally
Ill Persons
Reply:
President,
My reply to the Hon Cheung Kwok-che's question is as follows:
In 2009-10, about $59 million was allocated to the Social Welfare Department (SWD) to provide the following four community mental health support services (CMHSS) for ex-mentally ill persons and persons with suspected mental health problems as well as their families/carers -
(i) Community Mental Health Intervention Project (CoMHIP);
(ii) Community Mental Health Care Services (CMHC);
(iii) Community Mental Health Link (CMHL); and
(iv) Training and Activity Centres for Ex-mentally ill Persons (TAC).
While the service targets of CoMHIP are persons with suspected mental health problems, the remaining three services cater for ex-mentally ill persons and their families/carers.
As regards the number of service teams/units, there are 11 service teams under the CoMHIP and CMHC respectively, providing services to all districts in the territory. The CMHL has 25 link units located all over the territory. The service of the five TAC also covers the whole territory.
In 2009, SWD revamped the above four and other relevant CMHSS in Tin Shui Wai and set up the first Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness (ICCMW) to provide one-stop community support services for ex-mentally ill persons and persons with suspected mental health problems in the district. In 2010-11, the Government will pool together the existing resources of the CMHSS and allocate an additional annual provision of about $70 million for revamping the CMHSS and extending the service model of ICCMW to all the 18 districts.
Ends/Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:20
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