Twenty-nine families who had children on the admission waiting list of a Washington State Institution for the retarded were studied. These parents and their retarded children had very little knowledge of possible outpatient services and had received little, if any, ongoing supportive primary care. Most parents were seeking institutionalization for their child to obtain relief for themselves and their family. Admission to the institution generally was not timed to meet either the needs of the individual or his family. Expansion of community services for the retarded can be important in reducing the number of candidates for admission to state institutions for the retarded.
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