Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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54. To ask the Minister for Health his proposals for service users with severe physical and intellectual disabilities who have reached 18 years of age and are in their last year of school for their transition to adult services; whether it is the case that despite the date of transition from one service to another being known far in advance, there has been no joined-up planning for services when these young persons leave school; whether clarity on residential, respite and transport needs will be provided; if he will provide a breakdown of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20772/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Preparations are at an advanced stage in respect of all school-leavers and rehabilitative training (RT) graduates to ensure that appropriate services are provided to all young people with disabilities. To ensure this, additional funding of €6 million (at a full year cost of €12 million) was allocated by the HSE this year to meet the needs of around 1,500 young people who will require continuing health-funded supports. The HSE has assured me that all service providers will be informed of their funding allocation by the end of May.

The HSE, through its Occupational Guidance Service, continues to work with schools, service providers, young people with disabilities and their families to identify training needs and explore suitable options.

The provision of services to school-leavers and RT graduates is challenging each year as the number of individuals requiring health funded supports continues to increase year on year. Last year, the HSE implemented a coordinated and streamlined approach to manage the process of providing services to young people based on their individually expressed preferences and assessed needs. As a result, almost 1,400 young people with disabilities who finished school or rehabilitative training received placements which fully met their needs. This year, the HSE is committed to building on last year’s efforts and I understand that the HSE is on target to notify all young people and their families by the end of June of the placement that will be available to them from September.

One of the most significant projects being progressed by the HSE this year within the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services framework is the implementation of the person-centred approach to day services as outlined in "New Directions - Report on the National Working Group for the Review of HSE funded Adult Day Services". The New Directions policy proposes that health-funded day services for adults with disabilities should be based on the principles of person-centredness, community inclusion, active citizenship and high quality service provision. This projects demonstrates the HSE's commitment to providing services in a more individualised and person-centred way to all people availing of day services including school-leavers and RT graduates whose service should in future take the form of individualised and personally chosen outcome-focused supports.