Reported is a survey of state institutions for the mentally handicapped in which information about hearing imparied mentally handicapped HI/MH persons was solicited. Existing data on hearing impairment and mental retardation, its diagnosis and related programing are reviewed briefly. It is explained that 158 of 212 surveyed institutions (75 percent) provided complete or nearly complete responses. Survey results in the following areas are analyzed: prevalence of HI/MH persons in institutions for the retarded, procedures for diagnosing and evaluating HI/MH residents, characteristics of HI/MH residents, services available to HI/MH residents, and the operation of selected programs for the HI/MH. Conclusions such as the following are drawn: approximately 9 percent of the institutionalized MH population was HI; only 48 percent of the facilities had a distinct program for the HI/MH population; in classifying residents as HI, 32 percent of institutions relied primarily on puretone results, 22 percent relied primarily on functional need, and 26 percent considered both puretone results and functional need, while the remaining institutions used various multiple criteria. Recommendations are made to facilitate programing for HI/MH populations. (GW)