Side by side with awareness of the rights of people with disabilities, attention is now focusing on the caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and on how they enhance the quality of life of this population group. In community-based residential facilities, these care workers provide people with IDD with training…

Using an autoethnographic approach, this dissertation explores the path taken by a person who serves a unique population of individuals--people who not only have more than one disability, but in addition, are unable to communicate using verbal (spoken) speech. Starting with a recap of the history of the use and subsequent oppression of American…

A curriculum development model was formulated for training resident advisors (RAs) to work with developmentally disabled clients in small community homes. Overall findings suggested that the alternative living arrangement pilot training programs were highly effective in helping students acquire the knowledge and skills requisite to successful RA…

The paper describes the background and development of The Residential Facilities Worker Training Program, a 2-year degree program at Seattle Community College (Washington) to train staff persons to work in community based residential settings with developmentally disabled children, adolescents, and adults. Need for the program is discussed,…

Described are services provided for developmentally disabled adults in the Clausen House system, a community residential facility in California. It is explained that the model is designed for a central program facility with smaller "satellite" houses surrounding it. Reviewed are such program elements as curricula areas for independent…

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…

A symposium on community programs for retarded persons includes a study of resident and facility characteristics associated with participation in day programs and leisure activities among nursing home residents, a survey of services provided developmentally disabled residents in community facilities, and an examination of values among volunteers…

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…

This article summarizes data showing that 77.1 percent of residential service recipients with mental retardation/developmental disabilities are living nationally in settings of 15 or fewer residents. Graphs show proportions living in residences of various sizes in 1982 and 1999. A table lists, by individual state, the numbers and proportions of…

This site visit report describes activities, strengths, and challenges of the Area Agency for Developmental Services in Region VI of New Hampshire, with an emphasis on bringing people with developmental disabilities out of the state institution to community-based services. The agency provides case management services, family support services, and…

This report presents patterns and trends in services provided to persons with developmental disabilities through the Washington State Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and related agencies from 1989 through 1994. Following an executive summary, individual chapters provide extensive detail on: (1) the Division and this project; (2) types…

Described is a system for providing comprehensive community residential living for the developmentally disabled. (Author/CL)

A review of research on the role of social competence in the community adjustment of developmentally disabled persons indicates that facilitation of such adjustment should focus on remediation of maladaptive behavior, instruction in social skills and behavioral competencies, assessment before placement in the community, and continued on-site…

The United Kingdom literature on effects of deinstitutionalization of adults with developmental disabilities from 1980 to 1994 was reviewed. Analysis generally associated smaller, community-based residential services with improvements in user engagement, adaptive behaviors and challenging behaviors, community acceptance and integration,…

Two studies examined turnover among newly hired residential direct support workers in community homes serving people with developmental disabilities. In Study 1, 110 community homes for people with mental retardation in Minnesota were surveyed for facility and residential characteristics, direct support worker wages and benefits, recruitment and…