Selected Changes in Residential Service Systems Over a Quarter Century, 1977–2002

The first comprehensive national census of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living in state and nonstate residential institutions and community settings was conducted in 1977. More recently, state and nonstate residential services statistics have been gathered and supplied by state developmental disabilities service agencies. The 2002 census of persons with I/DD receiving residential services marks the 25th anniversary of the first census. Major changes in residential services occurred during that quarter century. As shown in Figure 1, the number of residents with I/DD in state institutions decreased from 154,638 to 43,249 (−72%). The number of residents of institutions operated by nonstate entities decreased from 52,718 to 30,945 (−41%). The number of persons living in nonstate group housing for 7 to 15 residents increased from 19,074 to 47,052 (147%), although the number remained relatively unchanged after 1987. Residents of state-operated community settings of 15 or fewer grew at...