Onboarding of Persons and Children with Disabilities and Special Needs to National Initiatives like Healthier SG and Grow Well SG

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) how persons and children with disabilities and special needs are onboarded onto national initiatives, such as Healthier SG and Grow Well SG; and (b) what adaptations, if any, ensure the suitability of these initiatives, such as adaptations to work with caregivers.

Healthier SG and Grow Well SG are Singapore's national programmes focused on preventive care and the development of healthy habits across different age groups. These programmes are applicable to all.

For Healthier SG, enrolment for individuals with disabilities and special needs and are aged 40 and above can be done through polyclinics, Healthier SG general practitioner clinics and Healthier SG enrolment booths at community touchpoints, same as the general population. Caregivers can assist individuals in the enrolment process.

The primary care providers develop individualised Healthier SG health plans that consider the needs of their patient. This may be done in consultation with caregivers, if required. However, should the persons with disabilities (PwDs) require special intervention, they can be supported by social service agencies, such as MINDS.

Under Grow Well SG, the Health Promotion Board provides health screening, immunisation services and personalised health plans to students in mainstream preschools and primary schools, including those with disabilities and special educational needs (SEN). The trained healthcare personnel will tailor their communication styles for students with disabilities and SEN to help them understand their health plans and act on the lifestyle recommendations. All students in mainstream schools and special education schools also receive education on healthy habits as part of their curriculum.

All parents can view their child's personalised health plan via HealthHub, and access general resources on healthy habits through various platforms, such as Parent Hub and Families for Life websites.