Training of trainers on functional disability assessment in Armenia

As part of technical cooperation activities conducted between SOCIEUX+ and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Armenia, about 40 medical and paramedical specialists participated in a training of trainers on functional disability assessment. The training took place from 18-29 October in Yerevan and was supported by the Armenian offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF.

The public expertise mobilised by SOCIEUX+ for this activity included Andreas Karystinos, clinical psychologist from the Center for Diagnostics, Differential Diagnosis and Support at the Greek Ministry of Education, and Dr. Giagkos Lavranos, assistant professor of public health, internist-consultant in acute care and clinical manager of the department of accidents and emergencies at the Larnaca General Hospital in Cyprus.

The training covered basic principles and guidelines for disability assessment, in compliance with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and included: focused assessment protocols by disability, age, and type; results coding; defining consequences of the assessment for rehabilitation; and, participation enhancement strategies. Moreover, the training included some practical sessions for virtual assessment techniques and interactive case studies. At the conclusion of the sessions, specialists with abilities as trainers were identified. These individuals will then go on to establish national teams of disability assessors throughout the country. Vice Minister Tatevik Stepanyan participated in the conclusion of the training, and stressed the ministry’s commitment to the introduction of the new system for the benefit of people with disabilities and their best interests.

This workshop is part of the long-term technical cooperation that SOCIEUX+ is developing with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia as part of their commitment to greater inclusion of people with disabilities in line with the ICF model. Armenia is undergoing reforms in its disability sector to transform the way disability is assessed and, more largely, understood by professionals. This shift is from a purely medical view of disability to a more attentive understanding of an individual’s capacity to function and participate in society. This necessitates disability assessments that primarily focus on how individuals function within their communities, and on the supports that should be provided to lift participation barriers. Further cooperation activities are planned in January 2022.

(SOCIEUX+ 2020-23)