Policy Address
Regularisation of the Short-term Food Assistance Service Projects
140. To support individuals and families with difficulties coping with their daily food expenditure, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched the Short-term Food Assistance Service Projects (STFASPs) since February 2009. The STFASPs serve to supplement other poverty alleviation measures and help the underprivileged tide over their financial difficulties. The Government will make this service a permanent one from August 2021 upon completion of the existing service contracts, and has earmarked $415 million to meet its recurrent expenditure.
Supporting Persons with Disabilities and Their Carers
141. To enhance the support for persons with disabilities and their carers, apart from continuing to take forward various rehabilitation programmes under the Persons with Disabilities and Rehabilitation Programme Plan, we will implement additional measures in the coming year to further relieve the stress of carers, including providing additional residential respite places through the Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities, providing residential respite service in boarding sections of special schools with vacant boarding places, and arranging severely mentally handicapped persons in need of pairing day activity centre services to receive services at their hostels subject to the availability of sufficient space. Meanwhile, the Labour and Welfare Bureau is conducting an in-depth study with a view to providing an evidence-based basis for formulating a comprehensive carer policy and the relevant pilot schemes.
