The health strategy promises a "complete programme" to transfer people with intellectual disabilities who are currently in psychiatric hospitals to "appropriate accommodation" as soon as possible and by the end of 2006 at the latest.
The section dealing with intellectual disability and autism services also promises an expansion of day places, training, residential and respite care, and other support services. It promises investment to provide appropriate support services for people with autism.
On mental health, the document says a new action programme for mental health will be developed. It sets a target date of mid-2003 for the preparation of a national policy framework by the Department of Health and Children.
The document pledges a review of all disability allowances and concessions during 2002, and says a new cost of disability payment will be considered.
On people with physical and intellectual disabilities, the strategy underpins the policy of mainstreaming services and states the policy aim is to enable each individual to achieve his or her full potential and maximum independence.
The document notes there are geographical inequalities in the provision of services. "Despite increased development funding, there are considerable unmet needs in regard to people with physical and sensory disabilities." It notes that one in 10 people with an intellectual disability is either without any services but on a waiting list, or has never had their needs assessed and is not on any waiting list.
Among the priorities outlined in the strategy are the provision of additional places in daycare centres, short-term respite facilities and long-term residential units, although no figures are mentioned.
Improved home-based and school-based support services, the fostering of community-based voluntary care-givers and the training of volunteers are also envisaged, as is the appointment of designated workers to plan the long-term care of children with disabilities.
Investment in sheltered work programmes and the provision of aids and appliances are also earmarked for improvement. The Physical and Sensory Disability Database is to work on the collection of accurate data on the numbers of persons with autism and the identification of their needs.
All new services will be enshrined in the forthcoming Disabilities Bill and the remit of the Social Services Inspectorate will be extended to include inspections of residential care facilities for people with disabilities.
On mental illness, the strategy pledges to accelerate the provision of modern treatment units in general hospitals to replace the old-style psychiatric hospitals and states there will be no further acute admissions to psychiatric hospitals after 2008. It promises extra community residences for patients with mild mental illness, particularly in the eastern region where such facilities are scarce, but also states every health board will have a psychiatric intensive care unit for seriously disturbed patients within the next few years.
Specific programmes are to be drawn up to address mental illness in older people and in children and teenagers, particularly young people in the 16-18 age group.
Other areas to be targeted include alcoholism, eating disorders, suicide prevention and mental health among the homeless.
The patient advocacy service envisaged under the Mental Health Act 2001 is to be developed and patients are to be given a greater input into services.
The strategy recognises the shortage of day centres, hostels and family supports for individuals coping with mental illness and supports the provision of extra training and sheltered work programmes but does not set out target figures. It also emphasises the importance of prevention and envisages programmes to promote mental health and raise public awareness and understanding of mental illness.
Such programmes will be co-ordinated at regional level by new regional advisory panels or co-ordinating committees to be established in all health board areas.
The committees, which will also advise on the planning and prioritisation of services at local level, will include representatives of the statutory and voluntary sectors as well as patients themselves.