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Legislation will, for the first time, prevent harmful restraint and seclusion in classrooms.
Contact: Kimberly Betz (McMorris Rodgers) 202.225.2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, December 9, U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) will hold a press conference to introduce new legislation to protect all children in schools from misuse of restraint and seclusion. Miller is the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a member of Democratic leadership, McMorris Rodgers is a member of the Committee and the Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference.
This legislation is the first national effort to prevent and reduce harmful restraint and seclusion in schools. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office investigation found hundreds of allegations that schoolchildren have been abused, and some even died, as a result of the inappropriate use of restraint and seclusion in classrooms; a disproportionate number of them were children with disabilities. Yet unlike in hospitals, and other medical and community-based facilities that receive federal funding, there are currently no federal policies that prevent the misuse of restraint and seclusion in schools. State regulation and oversight varies greatly; many states provide no guidance or assistance regarding these behavioral interventions.
WHO:
- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee
- U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference
- Families of children who have been the victims of harmful restraint and seclusion in classrooms
- Additional participants TBA
WHAT:
Press Conference to Introduce Legislation to Prevent Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools
WHEN:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
11:00AM EST
WHERE:
Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Members of the press interested in attending this event must RSVP to Melissa Salmanowitz at Melissa.Salmanowitz@mail.house.gov or 202-226-0853. Television cameras planning to cover the event must arrive no later than 10:30 am for setup.
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Chapter 33: REGULATIONS GOVERNING TIMEOUT ROOMS, THERAPEUTIC RESTRAINTS AND AVERSIVES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Policy and Purpose
These regulations establish standards for the use of separate, isolated timeout rooms and the use of therapeutic restraint when the behavior of a student presents a risk of injury or harm to the student or others, significant property damage, or seriously disrupts the educational process and other less intrusive interventions have failed. Nothing in these rules would require an SAU or approved private school to construct or use a timeout room or implement a program of therapeutic restraint. Schools that are licensed as residential child care facilities or mental health treatment centers and governed by other state standards shall comply with the higher standard. Nothing within these rules limit the protections of individual students under applicable special education standards.
What do you want or need to know about these regulations? (Please post as a comment below.)
Checklist for schools (doc)
What training programs meet these regulations?
- Non-Abusive Psychological and Physical Intervention (NAPPI)
- Mandt
- Crisis Prevention Institute
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training
- Other training as determined appropriate by local policy
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The Professional Development in Positive Behavior Support (PBIS) grant was awarded to the Maine Support Network and Partnership of Partnerships (POP) partners in 2009. This exciting project is creating and supporting vibrant teaching and learning environments by providing professional development and direct services to SAUs in four regions of the state (Aroostook, Washington, and northern and southern Penobscot counties).
This blog was created in order to share information and resources regarding Maine law on restraint and seclusion in accordnace with Objective 5 of the grant.
Objective 5: Training will be provided for educators and providers in non-violent interventions for children with disabilities, and the proper use of restraints and time-out rooms.
Please feel free to use this blog as a resource on finding the proper use of restraint and seclusion (time out rooms) using Chapter 33 (Regulations Governing Timeout Rooms, Therapeutic Restraints and Aversives and Approved Private Schools) and the resulting action this spring of LD 1096 (An Act to Protect School Children from Dangerous or Abusive Restraint and Seclusion).
