Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre
Opened in 1965 to serve families whose children were affected by polio, Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC) has expanded its mission to treat and empower children with a wide range of disabilities and offer support to their families by providing an array of therapies and rehabilitation services, a residential program for mothers and children, and outreach services to community clinics across the West Bank.
The Centre also runs an academic K-12 inclusive school. Of the more than 450 students enrolled, nearly 40% are children with disabilities. The school is a model for creating inclusive education programs that can be replicated in schools across the West Bank to provide children with disabilities equal educational opportunities.
With its accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCIA) for Ambulatory Care, Princess Basma serves as a clinical placement site for graduate students in physical, speech, and occupational therapy as well as social work.
In 2011 the Centre launched the first and only classroom and therapeutic services available to Palestinian children with autism. As part of its mission, the Centre works to advocate for children with disabilities and their families and raise awareness in the wider community about the rights of the disabled.