Evening star., 1954-01-18

W IlIC OCSlCC VI llCCQs VIC dkC
applying the proved and sound
formula adopted by the Con-
gress in the Hospital Survey
and Construction Act.
second, the States are also
helped. in preparation to '.heir
population. to extend and inn
prove the health and welfare
services provided by the grant, g
in-aid programs.
Third. a portion of the Fed !
eral assistance is set. aside for
the support of unique projects
of regional or national s;gnifi-
canoe which give promise of
new and better ways of Serv-
ing the human needs Of our
citizens. -
Two of these grant maid
programs warrant the follow
ing further recommendations:
Rehabilitation Of the Disabled
Working with only a small
portion of the disabled among
our people, Federal and State
Governments and voluntary
organizations and institutions
have proved the advantage to
our Nation. of restoring handi-
capped persons to full ard
productive lives.
When our State Federal
program of vocational rena-
bilitation began in 1920. the
services rendered were limited
largely to vocational counsel
ing. training and job place
ment. Since then advancing
techniques in the medical and
social aspects of rellahillta-
tion have been incorporated
into that program.
There are now 2 million
displaced persons who could
be rehabilitated and thus re-
turned to productive work.
Under the present rehabilita-
ton program only 10000 of
these disabled individuals are
returned each year to full and
productive lives. Meanwhile,
250.000 of our people are an
nually disabled. Therefore,
We are losing ground at a dis
tressing rate. The number of
disabled who enter productive
employment each year can be
increased if the facilities. per-
sonnel and financial support
for their rehabilitation are
made adequate to the need
Considerations of both hui
manity and national self-in-
terest demand that steps be
taken now to improve this sit
uation. Today. for example. we
are spending three times as
much in public assistance to
care for non-productive dis
abled people as it would cost
to make them elf-sufficient
and taXpaying members of
their communities. Rehabili-
tated persons as a group pay
back in Federal income taxes
many times the cost Of their
rehabilitation.
There are no statistics to
portray the full depth and
meaning in human terms of
the rehabilitation program,
but clearly it is a program that
builds a stronger America.
We should provide for a
progressive expansion of our
rehabilitation resources. and
We should act now so that q
sound foundation may be es-
tablished in 1855. My forth
coming Budget Message will
reflect this objective. Our goal
in 1855 is to restore 10000
disabled persons to productive
lives. This is an increase of
10000 over the number re-
habilitated in 1858. Our goal
in 1856 should be 100000 re-
habilitated persons. or 10000
persons more than those re-
stored in 1858. In 1856. also,
the States should begin to
contribute from their own
funds to the cost of rehabih-
tating these additional per-
sons. BY 1859. with gradually
increasing State participation
to the point of equal sharing
with the Federal Government,
We should reach the goal Of
100000 rehabilitated persons
each year.
In order TO achieve this goal
We must extend greater as
sistance TO the States. We
should do so. however, in a
way which win equitably and
gradually transfer increasing
responsibility to the States. A
program of grants should be
undertaken to provide. under
State auspices. specialized
training for the professional
personnel necessary to carry
out the expanded program and
to foster that research which
viii advance our knowledge of
the ways of overcoming handi-
Gaping conditions. We should
also provide. under State aus
piceS, clinical facilities for re-
habilitative services IN hospi-
tails and other appropriate
treatment centers. In addi-
ton, we should encourage
State and local initiative in the
development of community re-
habilitation centers and special
workshops for the disabled.
1H
With Sucn a program the
Nation could during the next
five years return a total of
100000 of our disabled people
to places Of full responsibility
as actively working citizens.
Construction Of MedieoI Core
Focilities
The modern hospital-in
caring for the sick, in re-
search. and in professional
education programS-iS indis-
pensable to good medical care.
New hospital construction con-
tinues to lag behind the need.
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