According to the report, of 100 residents deemed eligible for community placement in 2003, only 5 had actually left.

Even though 4,500 families are on a waiting list for community placement, no parents are trying to put their child in one of those institutions today.

It has therefore moved to expand community placements in nine states and the District of Columbia.

Mr. Hayes estimated that an additional 10,000 community placements for the mentally ill were needed.

The most severely retarded will not benefit from community placement.

Since then, the department has moved to expand community placements in at least eight states.

Opportunities for school children to spend periods in various departments as part of their social studies or community placement should be encouraged.

Simply "requiring a person to wait her turn for a community placement" is evidence of fiscal constraint but not of discrimination, the state says.

Mr. Rogan also said that all nine had been examined and assessed as being ready for community placement before they were allowed to move out.

The state does not follow a blanket policy of community placement.