The methods for assessing disability, granting disability allowance and providing social protection to citizens with disabilities vary substantially from one Member State to another. Some disability assessment models focus exclusively on a medical or functional model of disability without consideration of environmental or social barriers. Regardless of the system used, to some extent persons with disabilities in all Member States encounter challenges when it comes to being assessed for their disability and getting the right level of support. Furthermore, the variance of assessment systems prevents recognition of one’s disability when a person moves from one country to another.
EDF advocates for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), but how exactly would existing disability assessment methods need to change to be CRPD-compliant? In this document we will explore this question while highlighting some of the main problems we see with the systems currently used in EU Member States. We will also present some personal testimonies of how these shortcomings affect persons with disabilities personally. We will conclude by delivering policy recommendations for both the national and EU level on how to improve disability assessment.
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Improving Disability Assessment Procedures in the European Union (Word document)