ERIC Number: ED305767
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-Aug
Pages: 38
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Needs of Families: Results of a Statewide Survey in Massachusetts.
Agosta, John M.; And Others
The report presents findings from a survey of 243 caregiving families in Massachusetts which explored family needs and characteristics, as well as those of their developmentally disabled family members. Survey questions focused on family information, characteristics of the disabled family member, information on family needs, care-related costs incurred by families, information on external supports, and family placement preferences (in-home or out-of-home). Selected findings include the following: (1) the most frequently noted disabling condition, other than multiple disabilities, was Downs syndrome, followed by mental retardation; (2) families have multiple needs spanning several domains, including information, assistance in providing direct care, specialized services for the disabled family member, and networking; (3) families receive relatively few services to support their efforts; and (4) the greater the family's need for support, the more often they consider an out-of-home placement, although 66 percent of families noted no plans to seek such placement. Policy recommendations include the desirability of providing families with multiple service options and with timely and long-term support. Family support policy should be sensitive to a growing need for residential alternatives, especially as the person with disabilities reaches adulthood. The survey form is appended. (JW)
Descriptors: Costs, Delivery Systems, Developmental Disabilities, Family Characteristics, Family Environment, Family Programs, Human Services, Needs Assessment, Public Policy, Social Support Groups
Human Services Research Institute, 2336 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140 ($6.00).
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Massachusetts State Dept. of Mental Health, Boston.; Massachusetts Association for Retarded Citizens, Newton.
Authoring Institution: Human Services Research Inst., Cambridge, MA.
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A