Mental retardation is a condition that exists or develops in a person before the age of 18 in which intelligence is significantly below average and personal and social behaviors do not meet what is expected for the person's age and culture. Mental retardation and mental illness are not the same condition, although the two terms are often confused. Unlike mental illness, mental retardation is always associated with limited intellectual capacity, occurs before age 18 and is usually a lifelong condition. By contrast, mental illness is not associated with a particular level of intelligence, may occur in a person at any age and is often temporary and reversible. Both conditions may occur in the same individual.
Mental retardation is found in persons of all ages, races, cultures and economic conditions.
According to 1999 Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation statistics, approximately 555,400 people in Texas have mental retardation. The Burke Center is a community center providing mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services to 13 counties in the Deep East Texas area.