Program Issues in Developmental Disabilities: A Guide to Effective Habilitation and Active Treatment, 2nd ed.

Program Issues in Developmental Disabilities: A Guide to Effective Habilitation and Active Treatment, 2nd Edition

The authors of this text state in the preface that this new edition is primarily for personnel involved in the administration of program development and implementation of Intermediate Care Facilities/Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) services and is intended to assist facilities in designing habilitation programs that meet ICF/MR regulations.

The book is divided into three major sections: Foundations; The Active Treatment Cycle; Special Considerations and Conclusion. Foundations is a broad-based section discussing the basic foundation of service provision of ICF/MR, the advent of supported employment services and transitional services. A significant chapter in this section concerns civil rights involving constitutional, statutory, and case review of relevant court decisions regarding federal laws. This chapter provides information on how habilitation staff can increase their awareness of the legal rights of residents of ICF/MR facilities. The principle of normalization is presented in a way that assists facility staff in practice and work towards change in behavior. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary team cooperation for the successful habilitation programs, requiring teams to conduct business in an efficient and effective manner.

The second section examines the active treatment cycle and examines the conceptual framework for staff members to evaluate their treatment modalities. Mission statements are discussed and emphasized as the driving force behind treatment services. The author's belief is that staff members must know the agency's purpose and direction, as well as common goal, if they are to be successful and efficient.

The treatment process is discussed and is intended to be a guide in the formulation of an individual's treatment plan. Strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and interests make up the active treatment process. This section rounds out the active treatment cycle through discussion of developing effective strategies and designing methods of monitoring and evaluating treatment plans.

Section three deals with community-based ICF/MR facilities and the challenges that face small facilities in the provision of services, and the issue of quality assurance as a requirement in the provision of habilitation services. The last chapter addresses issues of Medicaid reform and the ICF/MR program. Quality enhancement is explored through strategic planning, organizational development, staff training, and internal monitoring and evaluation.

In conclusion, this text provides to the practitioner a broad look at the total organizational stru cture of ICF/MR facilities. Many of the chapters can be of assistance to practitioner for the book is a storehouse of information regarding federal regulations, program goals, and follow-up assessments in working with developmentally disabled individuals. This reviewer could find only one criticism with the book and that was the first chapter. The authors, in attempting to introduce thier book, reviewed the past decade of service delivery in developmental disabilities, but the content of this chapter was loosely organized and difficult to follow. Fortunately, the subsequent chapters were well developed, precise and well documented. References were recent and documented.

I would recommend this book to individuals who work in ICF/MR facilities. It is an excellent reference guide to assist in the management of ICF/MR facilities, program development and monitoring.

Alan M. Craig, M.S., CRC, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Texas Rehabilitation Commission, Pasadena, Texas.