Currently, there is considerable interest among professionals in the field of mental retardation in developing and expanding community programs as alternatives to institutional placement for individuals with mental retardation. This paper describes the development of a second of a series of three criterion-referenced instruments designed to facilitate community integration of persons with moderate-profound mental retardation. Empirical data demonstrating reliability and validity of the instrument are presented. The results are discussed in terms of a number of assessment-related applications which are of immediate relevance to individuals undergoing training for community integration.

Recent literature indicates that an increasing number of individuals with mental retardation problems are involved in various processes for community reintegration as defined by movement to less restrictive (more normal) programming environments. To facilitate this process, a three phase behavior assessment and prescription system is proposed. This system is designed to monitor the specific functioning levels of persons with mental retardation problems. At the screening (pre-selection) level, a skill assessment instrument has been formatively validated which provides basic data from obtaining specific levels of skill functioning in several behavioral categories. This data means individual persons can be identified as to their profiting from available institution/ community celeration programs and provides information for new programs needed to further reintegration efforts. At the programming (pre-selection) level, a detailed skill assessment instrument has been developed. This more intense behavioral observation assessment is used to determine individual entry levels into specific celeration programs and to monitor skill acquisition as a function of the teaching. At the community entry (pre-release) level, a skill assessment instrument is conceptualized which will identify those skills that translate into necessary prerequisites for various community living alternatives. At each level reliability, validity, time efficiency, and direct relevance to least restrictive environmental programming is emphasized, with the highest level of living with human dignity as the goal.