Taitung Indigenous Family Service Centers Oppose Integration into Social Welfare System; County Government to Re-communicate

Central News Agency (Reporter Lu Tai-cheng, Taitung County, 15th) Taitung County Government's proposal to integrate Indigenous Family Service Centers (IFSCs) into the general social welfare system has met with opposition from the IFSCs. The Taitung County Government stated that the merged operation would be more flexible and that it would communicate and coordinate further, currently maintaining the original operation. The Taitung County Indigenous Affairs Department discussed the issue of integrating IFSCs into the general social welfare system this morning. The "Taitung County Indigenous Family Service Center Rights Group" issued a statement titled "Oppose the Abolition and Regression of the System, Protect the Social Safety Net in Indigenous Areas." The Rights Group stated that in response to the Taitung County Government's recent proposal to integrate IFSCs into the general social welfare system, the commissioned units and frontline social workers of Taitung County IFSCs jointly issued a strong statement, emphasizing that IFSCs are not ordinary administrative units but are the core practice embodying the collective development rights protected by the "Indigenous Peoples Basic Law." The Rights Group called on local governments to align with central policies and maintain the independence and professional status of IFSCs before the end of the central government's "Strengthening Social Safety Net 2.0" plan, urging them not to let administrative streamlining become a driver of "systemic regression." The Rights Group stated that the spirit of establishing IFSCs originates from Article 26 of the "Indigenous Peoples Basic Law." Their purpose is to build a social safety system with "cultural subjectivity" to ensure that indigenous people receive culturally safe protection when receiving services. The existence of IFSCs is central to protecting the collective development rights of indigenous peoples. If forcibly integrated into the mainstream governance framework, indigenous services will again face the risk of marginalization. The Rights Group pointed out that according to the "Strengthening Social Safety Net Plan 2.0 (2026-2030)" approved by the Executive Yuan, the central government has clearly listed IFSCs as "indispensable basic service nodes" in the national social safety net. The Taitung County Government's administrative adjustments should be consistent with the central direction, and before the end of the 2030 plan, it should not abolish or merge approved service points under the guise of administrative integration. The Rights Group stated that IFSCs have equal network status with juvenile guidance committees, education, labor, and health units. Their specialization in culturally safe services that are "tailored to indigenous groups and localities" is an important professional supplement to the public sector system. The Rights Group put forward two demands: stop any integration discussions before the completion of the 2030 plan to ensure professional development space; and prioritize administrative resource allocation to consider the special characteristics of indigenous and remote areas, implementing the commitment to cultural safety. The Taitung County Government stated that integrating IFSCs into the general social welfare system can expand the scope of services and make services more flexible, but it will listen to more opinions, coordinate, and communicate, currently maintaining the existing operation. (Editor: Li Hsi-chang) 1150415