Ongjin-gun County (Governor Jang Jeong-min) opened an "outreach integrated care counseling desk" in Yeongheung-myeon on the 23rd. Officials in charge of the program went directly to places where residents go about their daily lives to find residents who need care but have not received support because they are unaware of the program.
 [The Korean Today] Outreach integrated care counseling desk in Yeongheung-myeon © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The counseling desks were set up at places residents visit often, such as senior citizens' centers and the bus terminal. Island residents, especially older adults with limited mobility, find it difficult to travel to township offices or welfare institutions and have few chances to learn about new welfare services. This is why the county chose to reach out to residents first instead of waiting for them to come in.
On site, officials explained the integrated care program and its main services and also held one-on-one consultations. The county plans to assess the care needs of residents identified during the consultations. It will then connect them with services suited to their individual health and living conditions so they can maintain a stable daily life.
The counseling desk builds on the county's efforts this year to publicize the integrated care program and build a cooperation network. The county ran promotional booths at local events and held briefing sessions for residents in each of its seven townships. It has also strengthened ties with the local community, including by introducing the program and asking for cooperation at a workshop for managers of social welfare facilities.
 [The Korean Today] Residents receiving information on the integrated care program © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The program will also expand to more areas. Following Yeongheung-myeon, the county will operate counseling desks in Jawol-myeon in November and Bukdo-myeon in December to continue identifying residents in need of care. Through this, the county plans to build a tighter, resident-centered community care safety net.
"Through the outreach counseling desks, we will proactively identify residents who fall through the cracks of the care system and connect them with customized care services," an Ongjin-gun County official said. "We will do our best to help residents continue to live healthy and stable lives in the places where they have always lived."
Integrated care aims to let residents receive the care they need in their own homes and communities without moving into facilities. In island areas, where medical and welfare infrastructure is lacking, identifying eligible residents in the first place can determine whether the program succeeds. Attention is therefore on how far the on-site counseling sessions, held township by township, will actually lead to residents being connected with services.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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