A study of respite services for families of persons with developmental disabilities indicated five major problems: inconsistent availability across the state, inconsistent planning and evaluation procedures, inadequate management information systems, lack of information to families, and lack of a career development model for respite workers.…

State offices of mental retardation were surveyed to determine current methods used to estimate the prevalence of mental retardation. (Author)

The 10 models of respite care for families of the retarded identified include: respite placement agencies, group day care, community residences, residential treatment facilities, group residential care, nursing homes, private inhome care, state institutions, camperships, and funding conduit. (Author/DB)

Data about the availability, accessibility, and organization of Information and Referral services from 133 public and private service providers for people with developmental disabilities showed that Information and Referral was a widely available service although there were problems in service provisions incuding lack of awareness about services…

A survey of 190 public and community residential facilities indicate that staff in community and public residential facilities must be prepared to deal with maladaptive behavior, that behaviorally oriented response strategies appear to be most effective, and that there is a need for greater attention to training direct-care residential staff in…

The study examined the relationship between direct clinical services provided to persons who are mentally retarded/developmentally disabled in 338 group homes and program and occupant characteristics. Findings suggest that group homes differ significantly in on-site service provision. (Author/CL)

Summarizes information presented in the American Association on Mental Retardation's 1998 publication, "State of the States in Developmental Disabilities" (Braddock, Hemp, Parish, and Westrich), which reports data on the implementation of managed care for persons with developmental disabilities. A table summarizes information about…

Results of a questionnaire of administrators of community living arrangements programs for the developmentally disabled in Pennsylvania (N=116) found that some programs promoted relationships with neighbors, but others wished to keep the role of neighbors to a minimum. (Author/DB)

More than 85 percent of the physicians surveyed indicated they are the initial informants to parents regarding the existence of a handicap and the information is immediately presented after birth to both parents, including specific diagnostic labels, possible causation, prognosis, and resources for the family. (Author)

Nebraska family physicians (n=184) were surveyed concerning requests for consultations and referrals to early intervention services for hypothetical cases. Consultations and referrals were influenced by the child's level of developmental delay and age. Requests for educational and psychological consultations were in the low to moderate range.…

Parents (n=79) of children with autism and related disabilities were surveyed about their children's challenging behaviors and what resources were needed to manage these behaviors. A high frequency of such behaviors was reported. Contingency management was the most effective management approach. Results are discussed in terms of families' needs,…