Abstract: This study develops a social protection strategy to improve the independence of persons with disabilities in Medan City. A descriptive qualitative approach was used, involving interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and analysis of secondary data. The findings highlight that individuals with disabilities still face weak data collection, discrimination, limited accessibility, and inadequate public service facilities. Existing government programs remain general, temporary, and insufficiently adapted to disability-specific needs. This study proposes three social protection models: the client-system model, the target-system model, and a combined model involving persons with disabilities, social workers, and resource systems. The results present the strategic role of social workers in connecting persons with disabilities to families, institutions, public services, and community support to achieve sustainable independence.

Keywords: social protection, persons with disabilities, disability independence, Medan City, social workers, client-system model, target-system model, inclusive public services

Pages: 1400-1410