Typical Support Requirements for Mentally Retarded Persons

IQ Score	Degree of Severity	What support is needed?	Support Example	Independent Activities
50-55 to 70	Mild mental retardation	Intermittent support	Intermittent support. Periodic monitoring (every 6 months) to determine if there are any areas of need and to share resources	Live independently in house or apartment, hold a job, commute to and from work, start a family, etc
35-40 to 50-55	Moderate mental retardation	Limited support	Ongoing case management on a limited basis. To provide assistance with managing money, paying bills, shopping for clothes and food, social and recreational activity.	Travel independently to and from work, make meals not requiring use of a stove, dress self, wash and iron clothes, live in semi-independent situation.
20-25 to 35-40	Severe mental retardation	Extensive support	Daily supervision in all areas of adaptive behaviors and living needs.	Dress self with minimum assistance, do all grooming tasks (i.e., comb hair, brush teeth, take a bath) with little or no supervision.
Below 20-25	Profound mental retardation	Pervasive support	Daily and intensive supervision of all adaptive needs.	Communicate basic needs using gestures or assistive technology
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