Deng Pufang, president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, was presented on Thursday the Alexander Gralnick Award for Advances in Psychosocial Rehabilitation for his efforts to improve the lives of the mentally ill in China.

At a ceremony held at the UN Headquarters by the American Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (AAPR), Kuang Weilin, deputy consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York, accepted the award on behalf of Deng, who did not attend the event due to a tight schedule.

Martin Gittelman, director of the AAPR, said that Deng has made efforts to push forward China's legislative work in promoting the rights and interests of the disabled people.

Deng has also set up workshops where people with mental illness can work part-time or full-time and get paid, said Gittelman, who had worked with the World Health Organization as a consultant to the Ministry of Health in China.

Kuang said that Deng has been very instrumental in pushing forward the cause of the disabled people in China, with his contributions recognized not only in the country but also in other parts of the world.

The Gralnick award recognizes individuals whose work improves the lives of persons with serious mental illness.

At the ceremony, the AAPR also awarded four other prizes to American individuals or entities who had made contributions to the cause of the disabled in the fields of media, public service, community activity and human rights.

Deng was the only international personage receiving an award at the event.

The AAPR is the U.S. branch of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation which was founded in 1986 with a mission to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from severe and chronic mental illness.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2007)