RISP Data Bytes

Background

There were an estimated 13,653 people in large (16 or more people) state IDD facilities on June 30, 2023. A reported 645 of them had been involved in the criminal justice system. Many people moved between state IDD facilities and jails.

Key Finding

Of the 919 people who moved into large state institutions in 2023, 193 (22%) came from jails, prisons, and other correctional facilities. Of the 833 people who left large state institutions, 120 (16%) went to correctional facilities. Most people who lived in large state institutions needed support to manage their behavior (6,749, 56%). While the percentage of people admitted from or discharged to correctional facilities was lower in 2023 than in 2019, it was higher than in 2022.

Double line graph showing the percent of people admitted to PRFs from correctional facilities and the percent of people discharged from PRFs to correctional facilities from 1985 to 2023. The line of people admitted to PRFs from correctional facilities starts 2% in 1985 and increases to a peak of 29% in 2019. It then decreases to 19% in 2022 and increases to 22% in 2023. The line of people discharged from PRFs to correctional facilities hovers from 0% to 1% from 1985 through 1998. It then increases to a peak of 17% in 2019. It decreases to 10% in 2021 before increasing to 16% in 2023. — Percentages of Large State IDD Facility (16+ Residents) Admissions from and Discharges to Correctional Facilities, 1985 to 2023

Recommendations

Deinstitutionalization must continue. States must find ways to continue to reduce the number of people in large facilities whether those facilities are state- or non-state-operated. People in small community homes live better lives overall. States that house people with IDD involved in the criminal justice system in state IDD facilities must be careful to not put other people with IDD living in those facilities at risk of harm.

Data Source

Larson, S.A., Neidorf, J., Pettingell, S., & Sowers, M. (In preparation). Long-term supports and services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities: Status and trends through 2023. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.

Authors

Sheryl A. Larson, Jon Neidorf, and Brian C. Begin. The authors acknowledge the contributions by Jerry Smith, Sarah Curtner and John Smith to this product.

The RISP project gets funds from the Administration on Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cooperative Agreement #90DNPA0006 with supplemental funding from the National Institutes on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research Grant #90RTCP0011.

Abbreviations used: IDD Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities; HCBS Home and Community Based Services