The article identifies common concerns in residential programs for persons with autism (the role of families, staff training, program components, interactions with the nonhandicapped community) as well as areas of variation among different programs including goals, size, funding, physical environment, vocational programing, and grouping of…

This article is concerned with short-term residential adult education conferences of four to five days duration--approximately the time normally allocated to large-scale national conferences. The author offers suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of short-term residential conferences and touches on some of the theoretical concepts that…

The paper presents a proposal for the addition of a specialized adoption agency for sexually abused children and youth to current services of a residential group home. The proposal resulted from the lack of appropriate families for children completing the Agency's Preparation for Adoption Program. Evidence suggested placements have been hindered…

The paper advocates the extension of the basic protections of "permanency planning" to all children and youth, including those with severe handicaps. It discusses the concept and process of permanency planning and notes its promise in improving the opportunities of all children and youth to grow up in a stable family environment. It…

This paper examines factors associated with meaningful family involvement in program planning for community residential services for individuals with mental retardation. It is argued that personnel in placement settings are often ambivalent about more family involvement. Guidelines for involving families at every stage both before and after…

This paper offers a model for planning services for children who are both mentally retarded and autistic. The model and recommendations for the residential therapeutic environment are organized according to the main axes of child development (biological, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). (Author/DB)

Institutions for people with disabilities can be "deinstitutionalized" by changing the way they are organized and regulated. The process of developing community learning environments in residential programs involves design of daily living routines, assessment of residential living skills, identification of teaching objectives, development of…

The second in a series of reports by a task force subcommittee on deinstitutionalization of developmentally disabled persons in Ohio, the monograph focuses on residential services. Basic planning principles, reflecting philosophical and legal concepts such as least restrictive alternative, normalization, and respect for human dignity, are…

The position statement of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) addresses issues in the design and delivery of programs for persons with mental retardation. An introductory section presents basic principles and philosophies underlying services, including integration, human rights, equal rights, normalization, and the developmental model.…

This report discusses issues regarding the out-of-home placement of children with developmental disabilities and the need for permanency planning for these children. The document reports on a project which sought to: (1) discern practices of Colorado's Department of Social Services and Division for Developmental Disabilities which affect the…

Maryland's decade of experience in providing programs for gifted and talented students indicates that response to the needs of such students has been strongest when federal, state, and local policy and financial commitments were complementary. The notion that federal financial support is not necessary and may even be counterproductive is…

The author relates his experiences as a participant of Outward Bound in 1965 and discusses how these learning experiences influenced his later work as a special education teacher at a youth residential treatment center in The Netherlands. Describes experiential outdoor programs for Netherlands youth including Outward Bound, Elan-training, Centre…

This report presents the 1994 update for a 5-year plan developed in 1992 which emphasizes changes resulting from restructuring Colorado state government and its departments. The first section presents the mission statement of the Division for Developmental Disabilities, a statement of the Division's operating principles, and a statement of desired…