장애인 직업재활시설 현황과 효율성에 관한 연구

Abstract

Work in the market place is the principal source of income, and the key to financial independent for people of working age including persons with disabilities. Some explain a paying job as the life of social existence, especially for persons with severe disabilities. However, national statistics show that only 32% of all persons with disabilities had completed vocational training in Korea although most people wanted to receive it. The disability population has been increasing continually. Although it is an old statistics, in 1994 the number of workers across Korea who suffered from industrial accidents was 84,480. Of these, 19,907 became legally disabled. In 1996 alone, a total of 265,052 traffic accidents occurred in Korea, resulting in 355,962 injuries and 12,653 fatalities. It is estimated that an average of 86,700 people becomes disabled due to the traffic accident each year. Along with this trend, the legal definition of disability has also been expanding. Currently, we have more than 350 vocational rehabilitation facilities in the nation. In addition, we have six vocational evaluation centers under the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs(MHWFA) and ten under the Ministry of Labor(MOL). Over the year vocational rehabilitation facilities in Korea have been significantly growing. In spite of the dramatic expansion of vocational rehabilitation services and programs, important issues such as quality of services, public awareness, consumer participation, and program effectiveness still remain. The MHWFA has been responsible for sheltered employment, while the MOL has been in charge of regular employment of persons with disabilities. This dual employment management system has resulted in inconsistencies of service delivery. Regular employment service delivery system accounts for only a small percentage of persons with disabilities employed, most of whom have only mild disabilities. This survey research dealt with operational aspects of vocational rehabilitation facilities in Korea, 114 among 351 facilities. The results of this study were can be summarized as the following: First, facilities surveyed had high degree of support needs from the government including financial subsidies. Second, the facility administration should put high priority and weights on its manpower. Staffing is often the most important factor to ensuring the quality of vocational rehabilitation services. Third, vocational rehabilitation facilities should regard persons with severe disability as their significant service population groups. The facilities should be one of the most important institutes to develop disabled persons potential. Therefore, they are required to pursue both personal safety and development because these facilities provide persons with severe disability with many professional vocational rehabilitation services and adequate pay based on the productive potential.