Recent Massachusetts Regulatory Definition of Mental Retardation

115CMR 2.01

"Mental Retardation means consistent with the currently (1994) accepted clinical authority of the American Association on Mental Retardation, substantial limitations in present functioning. Mental Retardation begins before age 18, and is manifested by significantly sugbaverage intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skills areas:

• communication
  
• self-care
  
• home living
  
• social skills
  
• community use
  
• self-direction
  
• health and safety
  
• functional academics
  
• leisure
  
• work
  

A person with mental retardation may be considered to be mentally ill as defined in 104 CMR (Department of Mental Health), provided that no person with mental retardation shall be considered to be mentally ill solely by reason of his or her mental retardation."