Occupational activation centers as a solution to improve vocational rehabilitation of patients with intellectual disabilities in Poland

Abstract

IntroductionSince the 1990's the main form of vocational rehabilitation centers in Poland were occupational therapy workshops (OTW), but the low ratio of the employment of the participants of OTW‘s led to the creation of newer, more effective institutions called Occupational Activation Centers (OAC). They were expected to be professional activity establishments, aimed at launching new career paths of people with intellectual disabilities, enabling the candidates to pass through various stages of rehabilitation and vocational activation.Materials and methodsThe analysis of available statistical data concerning the activity of OAC‘s in Poland was done.ResultsIn the whole country the number of these facilities is 53, while the number of occupational therapy workshops is 665. The Law on OAC‘s restricts the employment of people with moderate disability in total employment to 35%, this indicator covering not only the persons with mental retardation, but also people with autism and mental illness. In addition the OAC‘s activity generates the cost of creating them inadequate for the quantity and quality of jobs being created.ConclusionIt turned out that the creation of OAC‘s occurred too slowly in relation to the already operating OTW‘s and the weaknesses in the Polish system of rehabilitation and employment of people with intellectual disabilities necessitates the need to find innovative ways to solve this problem.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.