A modified team approach for the evaluation of children with moderate or greater mental retardation.

A modified diagnostic team approach was tried as a solution to increased service demands, staff shortage, and imbalance at a regional state diagnostic center. Departing from their usual diagnostic roles, psychologists and pediatricians did social history taking and related tasks. In this way, 100 moderate and severely retarded children and their families received diagnostic help over a year's time. Through care and responsibility and innovation in the planning and implementation of the project, and through cooperative staff functioning, problems involving staff shortage and imbalance and assumed urgent service demands were overcome. Pending an independent follow-up evaluation, the approach is recommended.