Experience of Implementing WHO-International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in Disability Welfare Policy in Taiwan

Objectives: The objective of this study is to demonstrate the process of applying WHO-ICF in Taiwan. Methods: We initiated a national decision-making process involving members of Taiwan's ICF Project Team. A total of 199 professionals participated in one of 16 groups which were according to the ICF framework. In each group, one member led the discussion in the form of a focus group session, using voting to reach agreement. These groups were asked to develop evaluation methods and standards, and to formulate related courses to train disability assessment workers. Each group discussed and drafted related regulations. Results: We completed the phased to replace the integration model for medical model to define people with disability using WHO-ICF in Taiwan and design two stages for definition of people with disability during 2008-2010. The project has now completed several parts of the standards, tools, and practice manuals based on the ICF. We selected a total of 137 out of all ICF codes for disability assessment from total 2480 codes. Lastly, we found dilemmas and impacts in four aspects which are hospitals, local and central government, people with disabilities and the main caregiver. Conclusions: Several core sets developed by WHO are mainly for diseases and not applicable to disability assessment. Therefore it is vitally important to select more applicable items from ICF related categories targeted at determining disability eligibility, but the new assessment protocols and tools need to be tested and observed in the future.