Gumi-si Expands Customized Care Services for Disabled Persons... Budget Increased by 5 Billion Won

Operation of Emergency Caregivers to Achieve 'Zero' Care Gaps for Disabled Persons in the Province for the First Time

Budget of 500 Million Won, 1:1 Support for Care Services for Severely Disabled Persons with Developmental Disabilities

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk is promoting comprehensive welfare services to create a city where people with disabilities can live well together.

This year, the disabled population in Gumi is 17,119, accounting for 4.2% of the total population, with 13.82% of them having developmental disabilities, which is higher than the national average of 9.93%.

The city has secured a budget of 40 billion KRW, an increase of 5 billion KRW from last year, to provide systematic support such as emergency caregivers for people with disabilities, 1:1 support in daytime group programs for people with severe developmental disabilities, and housing projects linked to vocational training for people with developmental disabilities.

▲ Gyeongbuk’s first zero-gap emergency caregiver service for people with disabilities

The number of people with developmental disabilities in Gumi is 2,366, and the burden on caregivers is increasing as they need to care for them daily.

The city plans to provide an emergency care service starting in March that offers 4 hours per day and 50 hours per year of emergency care to look after people with disabilities on behalf of their caregivers in urgent situations such as hospital admission or family events. This is the first such project in the province.

This project is expected to strengthen welfare for people with disabilities, reduce the burden on caregivers, and help alleviate social isolation.

▲ Expansion of 1:1 daytime group support for people with severe developmental disabilities

Severe Disability Program Project.

People with severe developmental disabilities who cannot receive public services often rely on family care. To improve this situation, the city plans to invest 500 million KRW this year to expand 1:1 daytime group support for people with severe developmental disabilities. This will provide customized services and ease the burden on families, helping to eliminate care blind spots.

Until now, the daytime activity service for people with developmental disabilities assigned one caregiver to three individuals, making it difficult to provide adequate care. With this project, the city will offer more detailed support through maintaining daily life for people with developmental disabilities, reducing the burden on caregivers, and providing focused individual services.

▲ Gyeongbuk’s first operation of housing linked to vocational training for people with developmental disabilities

Job-Linked Housing.

The city operates linked housing to provide living spaces for people with developmental disabilities residing outside the Gumi area so they can live comfortably during vocational training periods. This program supports social participation and economic independence for up to six months and is the first of its kind in Gyeongbuk, with an annual budget of 1.8 billion KRW.

Currently, Gumi operates two linked housing facilities for people with developmental disabilities. Among the 10 graduates in 2023, four have found employment at Gumi LG Display and disability workshops, nurturing their dreams of independence.

In addition, the city is committed to tailored welfare support suited to the characteristics of people with disabilities, including support for female disabled caregivers, water and heating bill assistance for households with severe disabilities, and monthly rent support for offices of disability organizations.

Mayor Kim Jang-ho said, “We will strengthen welfare policies for people with disabilities and provide various support programs to promote their social participation, and we will do our best to create a happy Gumi together with people with disabilities.”