Hebei Province has prioritized the well-being of people with disabilities, implementing a "targeted support" strategy to enhance social security and care services. The focus has shifted from providing basic guarantees to enriching spiritual lives, benefiting over 1.3 million individuals.
A robust social security foundation has been established, ensuring support reaches those in need and responses meet demands. For five consecutive years, the "Targeted Disability Service Project" has been included in the province's key livelihood initiatives, creating a multi-tiered, comprehensive social security network. Subsidies for living expenses of individuals with financial difficulties and nursing care for those with severe disabilities have been increased regularly, expanding coverage and serving as a stabilizing force for families.
In healthcare, the basic medical insurance participation rate for people with disabilities has remained above 98% for an extended period. Thirty-one medical rehabilitation items are now covered by insurance, systematically addressing challenges related to difficult access and high costs of rehabilitation. Over 50,000 households with financial difficulties have received accessibility modifications, with thoughtful improvements from entrance ramps to bathroom facilities demonstrating care in every detail.
A comprehensive rehabilitation assistance system for children with disabilities has been fully established. Systematic rehabilitation services have been provided to cumulatively 17,000 children with autism. A integrated "screening-diagnosis-rehabilitation" service network has been pioneered in 38 counties (districts). The establishment of Baoding's first dedicated 15-year consistent school for autism marks a significant step forward in special needs care services.
The spirit of perseverance and striving for excellence is celebrated through remarkable athletic achievements. At the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympics held from December 8 to 15, 2025, in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, 263 athletes from the province competed fiercely across 28 major sports and 377 events. They secured an impressive 127 gold, 92 silver, and 71 bronze medals, ranking second nationally in both gold and total medal counts, and also received the "Sportsmanship Award."
Over the past five years, Hebei's athletes with disabilities have consistently achieved outstanding results, bringing honor to the nation and the province. Achievements include 16 gold, 11 silver, and 5 bronze medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, with nine world records broken; topping the medal table for the first time at a national Paralympic games; and winning 10 gold, 15 silver, and 12 bronze medals at the Beijing Winter Paralympics, accounting for 55% and 60% of the Chinese delegation's totals respectively, earning recognition from central authorities. Further successes were seen at the Paris Paralympics with 13 gold, 10 silver, and 8 bronze medals, breaking seven world records, and contributing 6 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze medals at the 20th Winter Deaflympics, aiding historic breakthroughs for China in snow sports. The recent National Games added to this legacy with 127 gold, 92 silver, and 71 bronze medals. These athletes have demonstrated resilience, continuously surpassing limits and achieving glory on national and international stages, showcasing strength and inspiring all dreamers.
The care service system has been refined to ensure accessible rehabilitation and development pathways. Rehabilitation is seen as vital for rebuilding lives and is the starting point of care services. Hebei has provided basic rehabilitation services to a cumulative 1.42 million person-times, achieving a coverage rate exceeding 99%. Key projects, including the "Targeted Disability Service Project," have seen investments surpassing 1.47 billion yuan, leading to the establishment of over 480 designated rehabilitation institutions. Efforts to strengthen the rehabilitation professional workforce ensure that individuals can access professional, continuous support locally.
An inclusive education framework has been formed, with mainstream classroom attendance as the main approach, special education schools as the backbone, resource centers providing support, and home-based instruction as a supplement. The province now has 163 special education schools, achieving full coverage in counties with populations over 200,000. The enrollment rate for school-aged children and adolescents with disabilities in compulsory education has reached 97.5%. Notably, educational support is being extended to both earlier and later stages: high school enrollment channels for special education are steadily broadening. A special education college established in collaboration with Hebei Open University has cumulatively graduated 2,221 students, helping individuals realize their "university dreams." Financial aid has been provided to 4,752 students from families with financial difficulties who are either disabled themselves or are children of persons with disabilities, using education to illuminate future paths.
Social integration pathways have been expanded to promote meaningful employment and enriched lives. Through multi-faceted channels including supportive employment as a baseline, expansion into new industries, and coordinated efforts within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, over 96,700 new urban and rural jobs have been created for persons with disabilities. Tailored to different groups, innovative projects like the "Hundred Counties, Thousand Products" characteristic handicrafts initiative have helped nearly 3,000 individuals achieve flexible employment. In new sectors, bases for e-commerce livestreaming and cloud customer service have been established, providing "digital wings" for persons with disabilities. At the systemic level, Hebei has set clear requirements for the employment quota of persons with disabilities in public institutions, mandating that provincial and prefecture-level units employ at least one person with a disability by 2027, demonstrating leadership from the public sector.
Participation in cultural and sports activities is a key aspect of spiritual care. Beyond celebrating international Paralympic successes, daily efforts have maintained participation rates in cultural and sports activities for persons with disabilities consistently above the national average. Initiatives like community fitness demonstration sites and the "Five Ones" culture into families project allow individuals to find joy in activities and gain respect through participation.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Hebei's initiatives for persons with disabilities will continue to focus on "qualitative improvement" and "deep integration." The core objectives will be to strengthen the social security safety net and refine the care service system, aiming to translate institutional warmth into tangible, perceptible improvements in the daily lives of every person with a disability.