Developing community-based services for youth with disabilities.

Five community-based services in Israel for disabled adolescents are described. Three of them are day centers and two are afternoon clubs. They provide rehabilitation resources for teenagers with various kinds of disabilities including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, blindness, deafness and emotional handicaps. These services are analyzed and discussed with regard to addressing the major needs of adolescents with disabilities, with the aim of achieving an optimal degree of independence and preparation for normalized life. The programs include resources such as vocational rehabilitation, independent living education, recreational activities, social skills training, sexuality education in addition to creating opportunities to mix and socialize with nondisabled youth. The function of pediatric and adolescent medicine physicians in such services is emphasized as imperative in providing a comprehensive rehabilitation program for youth with disabilities.