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Abstract

To assess the impact of a 1979 Connecticut law forbidding zoning discrimination against small group homes serving developmentally disabled (DD) individuals, we compared residences for the DD and emotionally disturbed children established before and after the law took effect. There were significant increases in the number of DD facilities and in the socioeconomic characteristics of census tracts for both types of residences following passage of the law. In addition, there was a clear trend to locate residences for both groups away from urban centers. The failure to find a differential advantage favoring DD residences following the implementation of the law suggested that the observed changes cannot be clearly attributed to the legislation. Other confounding factors, as well as the need for evaluation efforts regarding such legislation, are discussed.

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Examining the Impact of a State Law Prohibiting Discrimination Against Group Homes for People With Developmental Disabilities

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