GDDC eyeing more health care services

Gearing to provide adequate health care services for individuals with disabilities, the Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council will take a more active role to promote a comprehensive program for its consumers.

During last week’s CNMI Council on Developmental Disabilities Orientation, Executive Director Thomas J. Camacho disclosed that the council will carefully look into the waiting list information of persons with disabilities who need appropriate heath care services.

The council, Mr. Camacho explained, will conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the waiting list information to discover how many clients require these facilities and whether they received the necessary medical services they need.

The adequate health care services is part of the newly re-authorized DD Act signed by former President Bill Clinton last year.

Under the DD Re-authorization Act, all state councils should provide adequate Intermediate Care Facilities for person with mental retardation problems and Home Community-Based Waiver Program.

Presently, these programs are not applicable in the Northern Marianas . Nonetheless, Mr. Camacho said the Council will step up efforts to provide the necessary health care facilities needed by their consumers.

The Council thoroughly discussed during the orientation changes and improvements incorporated in the DD Act to effectively promote the programs for people with disabilities.

Based on the Re-authorized DD Act, all state councils should focus on the areas of education, early intervention, employment, housing, health, transportation, child care, recreation, quality assurance, self-determination, and community inclusion.

The participants also tackled the mandatory Five Year State Plan from October last year to September 2005.

The State Plan should focus on the Council’s effort to bring about the purpose of the DD Act which should be derived from the unmet needs of people with developmental disabilities.

And since the GDCC is designed to assist in the development of comprehensive and coordinated delivery system through systematic change, capacity building, and advocacy activities, the Council will employ strategies that demonstrate new approaches, outreach training, public education, and information policy-makers to meet these demands.