[20th anniversary of the Federal Society of Rehabilitation--retrospect-outlook].

The impetus for founding the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Rehabilitation BAR (Federal Rehabilitation Council) had been the will of the social partners that the coordination found to be indispensable in the rehabilitation field should be brought about and safeguarded in the long run while preserving the rights of self-government. Founded February 6, 1969 as a voluntary association of all branches of the social protection system, the Federal Rehabilitation Council already in 1970 presented principles for harmonization of services and benefits as well as for cooperation among the rehabilitation administrations involved, pointing out perspectives for benefitting from the advantages of the structured system and overcoming its disadvantages. In retrospect, it is notably the harmonization agreements (Gesamtvereinbarungen) concluded at BAR-level and the various standards presented that document its successful work. Voluntarily agreed on by the various rehabilitation administrations, these rules and regulations for harmonization are fully in line with the legislator's intentions in this respect, and are recognized to have obviated governmental action. The range of future tasks of the Federal Rehabilitation Council will in particular be moulded by the changing disease spectrum on account of the increase of chronic conditions as well as by demographic changes due to a growing number of old people. Both factors require new approaches in the field of integration of disabled persons, ranging from increased efforts to implement community-based rehabilitation, to needs-based concepts in psychosocial counselling. Like in other areas, research and teaching will have to come to an even closer dialogue with practice in rehabilitation, too.