New law centre to help those with special needs, mental health conditions navigate legal system

A new legal centre was launched on March 16 to help those with special needs and mental health conditions navigate the legal system.

The Inclusive Justice Law Centre by Pro Bono SG and the Rao Family Foundation will have a full-time community lawyer who will reach out to special needs individuals in Singapore.

The centre aims to form partnerships with different social service agencies so that the lawyer and a programme coordinator can offer services to individuals from these agencies.

It also aims to bridge the awareness gap that many people with invisible disabilities and their caregivers have in knowing where to get help and understanding the type of help they need, said Pro Bono SG’s chief representation officer Sadhana Rai.

For a start, the centre intends to help a few hundred people with their cases in the first year, she added.

The launch of the centre is in line with the work being done by a task force that was launched in January to review how the Government can better support people with mental health conditions and special needs within the criminal justice system. This includes both accused persons and victims of crime.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development and Law Eric Chua and veteran lawyer Peggy Yee, a vocal advocate for people with such disabilities, are co-chairing the 20-member task force.

Speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the centre at The Foundry on March 16, Mr Chua said more has been done to improve access to justice in Singapore.

For instance, the per capita household income threshold for civil legal aid will be raised from $1,050 to $1,650, as announced during the debate of the Ministry of Law’s budget on March 2.

This change could potentially benefit up to 1,000 more Singapore citizens and permanent residents annually.

Mr Chua said that during his time at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and as an MP on the ground, he has seen how some individuals with disabilities and mental health conditions can easily be misunderstood.

“Some struggle to communicate their means, and their behaviour may be misread by others. Their families and caregivers often carry a heavy responsibility of care, advocating for them or managing everyday activities. These challenges are even greater when they must navigate the justice system,” he said.

The task force will continue to study how Singapore can better support those with disabilities and mental health issues, and the Inclusive Justice Law Centre is exactly the kind of ground-up initiative he hopes to see more of, Mr Chua added.

“A strong justice system must serve everybody, not just those with needs, but also those with limited resources, disabilities or special needs,” he said. “Broad access to justice strengthens public confidence in institutions and keeps our social fabric strong.”

The Rao Family Foundation was set up by Indonesian gold mining magnate Jimmy Budiarto and his wife Yohana Limarno in 2024 to support charitable causes, and was registered as a charity in 2025.

Mr James Zou, the director of the foundation, said the group wanted to do more for those with intellectual and invisible disabilities in Singapore after reading about the tragic case of a father who killed his twin sons, who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The man had reportedly done so because he wanted to take away his wife’s burdens, and he attempted to take his own life after the act.

The foundation will provide more than $700,000 to support the new Inclusive Justice Law Centre’s operations over two years.

Mr Zou said: “Access to justice must be available to all, regardless of whether you are able-bodied or living with disability.”

Ms Rai of Pro Bono SG said the group is looking to build a volunteer pool specially trained to handle individuals with invisible disabilities. It now has a volunteer pool of about 600 lawyers.

“The approach has to be different – how you talk to the client is different, how you help them understand their challenges may be different,” she said.

She added that the group often sees social service professionals asking for help for their clients and beneficiaries.

“We want to bring services directly to them so that they know they can rely on us as a resource.”

Mr Kelvin Koh, the chief executive of MINDS, said that in the past, the social service agency would have to navigate the appropriate avenues on its own to seek support for its clients’ legal matters.

“Now, with the law centre being set up, it makes the whole process so much easier,” he said.

MINDS, which advocates for the intellectually disabled, runs a service assisting those who have disabilities and mental health issues in undergoing interviews with investigating officers at law enforcement agencies.

Its Appropriate Adult Scheme for Persons with Mental Disabilities has helped 6,800 cases since 2015.

MINDS also provides case management for offenders, victims and witnesses with intellectual disability through the stages of arrest, investigation, prosecution, trial, sentencing and post-sentencing.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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