JCPD Calls On Persons With Disabilities To Register

The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCDP) is calling on individuals who are diagnosed with a disability to register with the Council.

With the Disabilities Act in effect from February 14, 2022, the Interim Executive Director of the JCPD, Dr. Christine Hendricks, pointed out to JIS News that being registered with the Council, persons with disabilities (PWDs) will be able to access the benefits and services the JCPD provides, more easily.

Dr. Hendricks disclosed that currently, there are approximately 13,600 registered PWDs on record from a database of more than 36,000.

However, a requirement before registration is a medical report to verify the disability. “Before you can be deemed as a registered person with a disability, although your disability may be very obvious, you have to have a medical professional in that area certify and verify that you have a disability and that it is permanent,” Dr. Hendricks said.

To verify their disability, PWDs may visit a regular medical doctor, a family doctor, a clinic, or the hospital.

In terms of the person who is deaf or hard of hearing the verification may be done at the Jamaica Association for the Deaf or any other organisation that deals with deafness.

Meanwhile, for intellectual disability they should visit a clinical psychologist, educational psychologist, or a psychologist, while for mental illness, a psychiatrist. Persons who are blind may visit their general practitioner, optician, or an ophthalmologist.

For those who may have multiple disabilities, there is a comprehensive form that carries all the disabilities grouping. This allows the different medical professionals to indicate various disabilities.

According to Dr. Hendricks, the Act also speaks to the JCPD and its mandate in terms of maintaining a confidential register that will have the particulars of persons with disabilities.

Information on the Registration Certificate will include the PWD, name, date of birth, age, address, education or employment status. For more information on the registration, persons can contact the JCPD at (876) 968-8373/(876)-968-0623/(876)-618-1133.