JCPD to Strengthen Public Education Programme

The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) will be strengthening its public education programme during this new financial year.

Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Relations, JCPD, Adrienne Pinnock, told JIS News that the Council will be rolling out information on its rehabilitation services.

“So, we will strengthen the communication and the public awareness, so more persons can be aware… and they can access it once they are meeting the several criteria. Over the past years, we would have utilised our vehicles of communication through the disability sector partners, our social media platforms, our website and we do community engagements to share the information with others,” Ms. Pinnock said.

The rehabilitation services provided by the JCPD are designed to empower persons with disabilities, offering a range of programmes aimed at improving their physical, social, and economic well-being.

Two key components of the JCPD’s rehabilitation services are the Income Generating Grants Programme – Economic Empowerment Grant and the Assistive Aids Programme – which support persons with disabilities in achieving greater self-sufficiency and participation in economic activities.

The JCPD will also place focus on certain benefits for persons with disabilities, such as the income tax exemption and the Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities provided through the National Housing Trust (NHT).

“The information is also on their (NHT) website for you to access it, but come the start of the financial year, we’ll have a more robust public awareness campaign that will be launched to ensure that persons are aware of the services that are available and how they can access them,” Ms. Pinnock said.

Meanwhile, she is urging the public that if they know someone who has a disability, to encourage them to get registered with the JCPD.

“The legislation (Disabilities Act) came into full effect in 2022. We are now an autonomous agency and authority of the Government, responsible for disability. Our operations are different, and our ability to advocate and promote the rights of persons with disabilities have been strengthened. So, we are in the business now to ensure that the rights afforded to persons with disabilities are given to them,” Ms. Pinnock said.

“So, we will provide that advocacy support, and we also are encouraging persons to access the benefits and express the needs that you may have, so that we can inform government, [and] where the gaps exist, we can shape programmes to plug those gaps,” she added.

Currently, the JCPD has a little over 17,000 persons in its database.