Background: Adults with severe challenging behaviour can achieve good "quality of life" outcomes in small supported accommodation services. Yet, the research indicates that they typically experience poorer outcomes than other adults with intellectual disability. This raises questions about the degree to which research has informed…

The manual presents policies and guidelines for planning and developing group homes for developmentally disabled and mentally retarded adults. Procedures are outlined for agencies involved in developing a group home, including the area mental health program, non-profit board, regional mental health office, regional facilities serving the mentally…

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…

The Autism Program at Camarillo State Hospital and Developmental Center (California) has implemented "deinstitutionalization" within a large facility by providing effective and appropriate treatment based on individual needs. This paper describes the design of treatment services, quality assurance mechanisms, medical care (including…

The Small Residential Facilities Project of Teaching Research is developing residential models targeted for six populations who have been considered difficult to serve in the community. A progress report is presented on the four established programs. The Adolescent Severely Emotionally Disturbed Program consists of an apartment program, an…

The father of a retarded adult describes the development of a course designed to teach independent living skills to mentally retarded adults living in a group home in Israel. The course included instruction on home management, food preparation, and interpersonal skills. How initial neighborhood opposition diminished is recounted. Difficulties…

This article reports results of a peer jury system to deal with inappropriate behaviors among residents of a community-based residential treatment program for offenders with mental retardation. Comparison before and after program implementation indicated statistically significant improvement in 7 of the 8 behavior areas and for 11 of the 12 adult…

This program model focuses on adult residential inmate aftercare programs. Critical issues in halfway house operations, a model for evaluation, and innovative variations are discussed. The facilities discussed include public and private halfway houses that provide residential services to adult offenders as a transitional step between their release…

Two studies replicated and refined a program for evaluating and improving residential treatment services during group leisure periods in living units for persons with severe developmental disabilities. Results indicated that provision of leisure materials and interaction with clients decreased maladaptive client behavior. The monitoring system…

Presented is the 1976 annual report of a project to prepare profoundly and severely retarded adults for sheltered employment, thus qualifying them for low-level group home placement. The history of the project is traced and program goals (such as refinement of toileting, dressing, and eating skills) are reported in chapter I. In chapter II, the 26…

A year-round outdoor recreation and education program for the moderately and severely retarded begun in 1972 at Craig State School in Sonyea, New York, is summarized in this report of development of the program, its success, and recommendations for the future. The program builds progressively from a nature trail hike to a day camping program one…

This compilation brings together various conference papers and a working group report on the topic of residential services for people with deaf-blindness and other profound disabilities. The title paper by Lyle T. Romer describes three measures for evaluating residential programs: capacity, progress, and lifestyle. Valued outcomes of a residential…

The purpose of the conference summarized here was to provide a multidisciplinary examination of the critical service needs of youth who are profoundly/multiply handicapped with deaf-blindness and who are old enough to be leaving the education system, and to recommend strategies for providing high quality comprehensive transition services for the…