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The article discusses New York State's policies on deinstitutionalization, which advocates for less-restrictive care and community living for special-care individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Topics addressed include concerns from family members of special-care individuals regarding the closure of developmental centers in New York, as well as the experiences of a severely autistic patient at the Brooklyn Developmental Center.

Focuses on the history of Ocean House, an adult home for New York City's poor and mentally ill. Fraud committed by its operator eight years ago; Effort of the Pataki administration to reform the adult home system; Background on the current home operator, Meyer Weber, which is being investigated by Connecticut officials, according to the state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal; Background on the New York adult home system; Indication that Weber was only granted a temporary license at Ocean House, pending his application for a permanent one; Problems at Weber's Albany home, Pearl of Wisdom.

Reports that a New York state panel recommended the abandonment of most of the state's system of adult homes for the mentally ill and called for spending increases for new services and housing. Recommendations made by the panel, including increased staff; Need for a plan to relocate the residents; Establishment of the panel; Conditions in these homes.

Deals with mildly retarded adults moving into the home managed by the YAI/National Institute for People With Disabilities at Glebe Avenue in New York City, New York. Reasons the first proposed site of YAI was opposed by its community; Cost of keeping the resident in the home per year; Benefits of the home to elderly parents of the mildly retarded adults.

Reports on the residential services of the mentally retarded in New York. Remarks of Ellen Rosman of Association for the Help of Retarded Children about the demand for housing for mentally disabled and retarded adults; Details on the endorsed plan of the Community Board 7 to create a group home in Flushing; Percentage of housing for the mentally handicapped in Queens, New York.

Focuses on the electrical fire at Los Laureles, a home for the mentally retarded in Chile, on September 29, 1997. Amount of people killed and injured in the fire; Comments from Justice Minister, Soledad Alvear, who visited the school where the surviving residents of Los Laureles were given shelter; Information on the home.

Informs about the protest of Brian Cavanagh and his neighbors regarding the opening of a Cedar Grove group home for the mentally retarded in Flushing, Queens. Reasons for the same.

Reports that 26 mentally retarded adults are residing in a homeless shelter at the Westchester County Airport in Westchester, New York. Citing the shortage of beds in group homes or in supervised apartments as the main cause of their shelter living; Reaction of county officials to the disclosure; Comments from Deborah Sturm Rausch, a spokeswoman for the State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Retardation.