HAS Rehabilitation Technician Training Program (RTTP)

Background
Limited healthcare services and poverty cause many Haitians to become disabled. Despite the crushing effects a disability can have on an individual or a family, especially in prime years of income generation and family responsibilities, there are few services for people with disabilities available in the country. In Haiti, the rehabilitation professions, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, are virtually non-existent. People with disabilities often live isolated existences and are given few opportunities to contribute to the betterment of their communities. The Friends-sponsored Rehabilitation Technician Training Program (RTTP) aims to change this situation by improving the health of people in the Artibonite Valley and improving quality of life by reducing the burden of disability. Conceived in 2007, this program was created to have direct and lasting effects on the 610 square mile service area of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti and to have spin-off effects on the rest of the country. It is designed to establish an appropriate model of service and build professional infrastructure for rehabilitation services in Haiti.