Rehabilitation services reform: new opportunities for children with disabilities

The National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPWD) continues to actively influence the reform of rehabilitation services for children with disabilities. Recently, proposals were submitted to the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to change the mechanism of financing rehabilitation services through monetization of budget funds. This innovation should improve access to quality services, but, according to the NAPIU, the draft needs to be finalized to ensure maximum protection of the rights of children with disabilities.

The main areas for improvement are increasing the maximum cost of rehabilitation services, which has not been revised since 2019, determining the maximum cost of rehabilitation services provided in inpatient and outpatient settings, and providing for the exclusion of funds to pay for rehabilitation services for children with disabilities from the average monthly gross income.

The proposal to exclude the current provision on increasing the maximum cost of rehabilitation services per year for orphans and certain categories of children deprived of parental care is not supported.

Another important aspect is the provision of rehabilitation services by individual entrepreneurs who have obtained a healthcare license, which contributes to the expansion of the network of rehabilitation facilities. However, the issue of control over the quality of services and their intended use remains open.

The NAIU continues to work to ensure that the reform of the rehabilitation system in Ukraine meets the highest standards and the needs of children with disabilities. The organization advocates for the improvement of regulations to ensure access to quality rehabilitation for all children in need.

The report was prepared and published within the framework of the project "Crisis in Ukraine: Response and Recovery with Persons with Disabilities (Phase 2), implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine in cooperation with the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM).