Local Consultant – Occupational Therapist, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Development of disability assessment instruments and guidelines for children and adults based on the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Development of disability assessment instruments and guidelines for children and adults based on the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Background Information

The Government of Georgia ratified the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2013 and took commitment to harmonize its national policy and normative frameworks with the convention. In order to implement these obligations, the government plans to reshape the definition of disability at policy level and shift from the Medical Model of disability to the Social Model. Determination of the disability status of a person is currently based on the medical assessment conducted by the physicians. Consequently, this approach identifies only health related needs and does not consider functional limitations and ability of people. In addition, this overly medicalized view fails to address the social and environmental factors that prevent full participation of people with disabilities and is unable to determine individualized needs-based assistive technology and social services. The social model perspective does not deny reality of impairment nor its impact on the individual, but carries the implication that environment and approaches must change to enable people living with impairments to participate in society on an equal basis with others.

According to the Georgian Law on Medical-Social Expertise and its bylaws, seventy medical institutions contracted by the Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) have an authority to grant disability status. For disability certification of adults, the state uses the certain codes of the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, WHO), while disability of children is defined according to specific diagnoses without references to the ICD-10. The state system distinguishes the severity of disability only for determining the status of adults (moderate, severe and profound) and for children applies only one common status - Child with Disability. Therefore, all children with disability status receive the same benefits. In addition, the current disability assessment system ignores some developmental disabilities of infants and young children (Dawn’s syndrome, autism, etc.). These flaws demonstrate the importance of transforming the state disability status determination system through establishing a biopsychosocial approach for children and adults that besides the health condition of a person will reflect individual functional needs and ability for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and social inclusion.

UNICEF Georgia supports the initiative of the Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs to establish the social model of disability within the disability assessment and status determination system and therefore seeks to hire a local consultant - occupational therapist. The consultant will assist the ministry to develop the instruments and guidelines for functional and social assessment.

The occupational therapist will be working together with all stakeholders under the guidance and direct supervision of UNICEF Georgia’s Social Welfare Officer and Disability Consultant.

Objectives

• To develop and if needed to customize[1] the assessment methodologies for persons with disabilities based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. The consultant will be mainly responsible for the following domains: functional ability, activities of daily living, and needs for assistive technologies of children and adults with disabilities.
• To prepare the guidelines and training program for using the assessment methodologies in these domains: functional ability, activities of daily living, and needs for assistive technologies of children and adults with disabilities.
• To assist in creating the algorithm determining the levels of severity of disability according to the health conditions and functional ability of a claimant.
• To participate in producing a training manual for Training of Trainers.
• To participate in analysing the outcomes of the pilot phase of the new disability assessment methodologies and - if necessary - review and improve the disability assessment methodologies in the following domains: cognitive, behavioural, and social development and communication of children and adults with disabilities.
• To elaborate recommendations for integration of the new assessment model within the state system.

Deliverables

• Customized disability assessment methodologies for persons with disabilities in the domains of functional ability, activities of daily living, and needs for assistive technologies of children and adults with disabilities. 14 days. February-April, 2018.
• Guidelines and training program for using the new assessment methodologies in the domains of functional ability, activities of daily living, and needs for assistive technologies of children and adults with disabilities. 7 days. April-May, 2018.
• Concept note including recommendations for the piloting of the new assessment methodologies. 5 days. May, 2018.
• Report of the pilot of the new methodologies and recommendations for improving the assessment procedures and methodologies in the following domains: functional ability, activities of daily living, and needs for assistive technologies of children and adults with disabilities. 4 days. November-December, 2018.

Team Work

The development of cohesive assessment instruments and guidelines requires strong teamwork of the consultants hired by UNICEF. Therefore, the consultant is supposed to work closely with a second consultant (psychologist), as well as UNICEF’s disability consultant and health specialist. The consultant will be evaluated according to this requirement as well.

The second consultant (psychologist) will be responsible for the following domains: cognitive, behavioural, and social development and communication of children and adults with disabilities.

Qualifications/experience required

• Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy
• At least 4-5 years’ experience working in the field of occupational therapy
• At least 2-year experience in consultancy
• Comprehensive knowledge of the state procedures and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Good communication and networking skills
• Oral and written fluency in Georgian and English
• Good writing skills

The consultant has no entitlement for annual leave, sick leave, maternity, adoption or paternity leave or any other kinds of special leave.

UNICEF will not undertake any liability for tax, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract. UNICEF will not issue a statement of earnings to the consultant either.

Health Insurance

UNICEF does not provide or arrange health insurance coverage for consultants.

Performance indicators

Consultant’s performance will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, and quality of the products delivered - a drive for results, and a willingness to work within a team environment will be essential, and will contribute to performance evaluation.

Unsatisfactory performance

In case of unsatisfactory performance, the contract will be terminated by notification letter sent 5 days prior to the termination date. In the meantime, UNICEF will initiate another selection in order to identify appropriate candidate.

Supervision arrangements

UNICEF Georgia’s Social Welfare Officer will provide day to day supervision. The supervisor will define parameters of assignments and outlines approach to problem areas. Work may be reviewed in progress to ensure soundness and accuracy.

Remuneration and payment method

Applicants are required to submit a financial proposal for the requested services including the consultancy fee and expected travel costs. The fee and travel costs will be negotiated between the applicants and UNICEF Georgia and will be paid in one installment against satisfactory performance and delivery of high quality service in line with the time frame for deliverables that are to be developed. The service fee will be transferred to the consultant’s official bank account in GEO at the UN exchange rate.

Proposed duration of the consultancy

Duration of the consultancy is 30 days.