A follow-up study of severely disabled patients with mental retardation.

The authors searched a computerized database of clients registered with the California Department of Developmental Services 1980-1.991. Evaluation was done at one of 21 community-based regional centers which were under contract with the Department to handle all such applicant cases within the state, and submitted data reports (CDERs) at least annually on all new and continuing persons registered (see below). Out of 155,851 total registrants in this period 128,248 had some follow-up available, and these were screened to obtain 7,228 severely disabled patients with actual or suspected severe mental retardation (I.Q. under 35% to 40%). All patients selected were classified as "immobile" because they were unable to walk, crawl, creep or scoot. Patients with suspected mental retardation had not had a formal I.Q. test, generally because of young age, residence at home and the severe disability tended to inhibit formal testing. The 7,228 severely disabled patients were divided into six mutually exclusive groups, according to combinations of severity characteristics, but data are presented here only for Group 1, highest overall severity, Group 6, and Group 5, lowest overall severity. Demographic, diagnostic and disability characteristics are presented in Table 216M1-1 for these three Groups and for the total Registry patients with follow-up available.