Staff (N=40) at a residential facility for 67 children with severe mental retardation rated their most- and least-preferred children on a list of child characteristics. Traits that distinguished the two groups included physical attributes, mood, behavior, and social qualities. Small children were more preferred than large children, and some…

Describes a unique model that provides challenging collegiate opportunities for academically talented high school juniors and seniors. The program is residential and students are enrolled in regular college coursework. (DDR)

An analysis of data on residential services for people with mental retardation between 1995-1999 found growth in recipients of Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement-funded residential services; a decline in the proportion of people housed in large residential settings; an increase in those served in group homes; and more rapid growth in…

Forty-nine adults with severe intellectual disabilities in 13 small staffed homes in England were evaluated for their participation in meaningful activities and adaptive behavior. Residents of homes which implemented the "active support" model of care showed significantly increased engagement in meaningful activities and adaptive…

This article reviews regulations governing Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR), including 1971 ICF/MR Medicaid funding legislation, standards development by professional consensus, development of federal regulations, intergovernmental roles, and possible directions for the future. A need is seen for professionals to…

A brief training manual was developed to teach child-care workers to contingency contract with delinquent youths living in residential care facilities. Results from analogue training simulations and generalization tests indicated that workers became more proficient in contract negotiation and writing behaviors and were able to apply the skills.…

Examined patient characteristics relevant to treatment outcome by administering Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory to 86 men following admission to a residential alcoholism treatment program. Cluster analyses yielded three subtypes which differed significantly in their rates of treatment completion. Comparison of data to that obtained in…

National and state data are presented on places of residence of recipients of Medicaid Home and Community Based (Waiver) Services, a program supporting long-term care for persons with developmental disabilities. The following types of residences are covered: agency home, foster home, own home, and family home. (SW)

This study of risk characteristics of 100 Illinois children/adolescents with emotional/behavior disorders admitted to programs to prevent the need for residential placements found that most of the children were in single parent families; almost 85% had average or above average intelligence; and almost half were exposed to divorce, poverty,…

In this Norwegian study, the impact of number of residents with mental retardation on two quality of care measures--deprivatization and self-determination--was analyzed. Results showed that the negative impact of increasing size leveled off at a unit size of about five residents. (Author/DB)

Evaluation of effects of moving mentally disabled individuals from a British National Health Service hospital into community group homes found much overlap between the institutions' caring routines and practices with the community hostel setting, providing only slightly more opportunities for personal choice, privacy, personalization, integration,…

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…

Data are presented which show changes in the size of residential programs serving people with mental retardation/developmental disabilities. Trends from 1982 through 1992 are summarized and statistics are given for each state showing the average number of residents per setting and the percent of residents in settings with less than 16 or less than…

Interviews with 137 primary caregivers with developmentally disabled family members (ages 2-62) on waiting lists for out-of-home placement found that caregiver stress was a significant predictor of the urgency of placement need. Behavior problems of the disabled person were almost as important. Lack of support services was correlated with…

This study reports on the extent to which pharmacological and behavioral consequences were applied to behavior problems within a population of 31,000 adults in New York's developmental services system. Findings indicated that these consequences were significantly related to variables of intellectual level, residential setting type, type and extent…