Federal bill - Restraint and Seclusion Congressional Action: Harkin Hearings, Speech, Ltr to Kline, new webpage (restraint seclusion)

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U.S. SENATOR HARKIN AND U.S. CONGRESSMAN MILLER TAKE ACTION ON RESTRAINT/SECLUSION THIS WEEKHARKIN ANNOUNCES FIRST CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THIS CONGRESS & MILLER DELIVERS FLOOR SPEECH, WRITES LETTER5/9/12Today, Congressman delivered a floor speech urging Congress to pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act, and protect children from abusive restraint and seclusion. also rolled out a new restraint/seclusion webpage and published a letter he had sent urging quick action on the bill.This week, Senators Tom Harkin and Enzi, Chair and Ranking Member of the Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, announced hearings for May 17, 2012 entitled, "Beyond Seclusion and Restraint: Creating Positive Learning Environments for All Students." The Senate hearing will be at 10:00 AM Eastern time in room SD-G50, and will be broadcast live at http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/ . Witnesses with strong expertise in the use of positive supports in place of restraint and seclusion will testify, as described below.Thanks to Senator Harkin and Congressman for their tremendous leadership and work to give America's schoolchildren national legal protections from restraint and seclusion. CONGRESSMAN MILLER CALLS ON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESTO PASS KEEPING ALL STUDENTS SAFE ACT; DELIVERS FLOOR SPEECH AND SENDS LETTER TO CHAIRMAN KLINEIn his speech today, Congressman called on Congress to pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act, H.R. 1381, to protect school children from abusive restraint and seclusion in school. , the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, asked Committee Chairman Kline to move the bill forward to Committee mark up. first introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act in 2009 and reintroduced it in 2011. The bill passed the House two years ago with bipartisan support. “We cannot sit idly by,” while children are subjected to abusive practices, Congressman said. “Congress must step up to the plate and protect our nation’s children.” Tens of thousands of children have been subjected to restraint and seclusion. Congressman ’s floor speech is here: http://democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/issue/seclusion-restraintCongressman also wrote to House Education & Workforce Chair Kline urging him to move the bill forward to a Committee mark up so Congress could act on it, http://bit.ly/MilrKlineRestraint2The House Democrats also rolled out today a new webpage dedicated to fighting abusive restraint and seclusion: http://democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/issue/seclusion-restraint In his speech, Congressman pointed out that a limited number of states have laws limiting restraint and seclusion. Only 16 States limit the use of restraint to emergencies involving immediate risk of harm; only 18 ban restraints that impede breathing, and only 24 require parental notification by law. also described the recent death of 16 year old Corey in physical restraint at the Leake and Watts school and the reports of restraint and seclusion in 31 states since 2010.SENATOR HARKIN AND SENATOR ENZI ANNOUNCERESTRAINT & SECLUSION HEARINGS; BIPARTISAN HEARINGS DEVOTED TO VITAL SUBJECT On Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 10:00 A.M. Eastern time, Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi of the Senate HELP Committee will host a bipartisan hearing, "Beyond Seclusion and Restraint: Creating Positive Learning Environments for All Students." The hearing will be in room SD-G50, and will be broadcast live at http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/Senator Harkin's and Senator Enzi's hearing is the first Congressional hearing devoted to restraint and seclusion in this two year Congressional session. The Senate is currently considering the Keeping All Students Safe Act (S.2020) to protect students from restraint and seclusion. The bill was introduced by Senator Harkin in December 2011. Senator Harkin has continued to lead the country in protecting children with disabilities.Hearing witnesses will include:

Dr. Crimmins, Director, Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University (Atlanta, Georgia.) Dr. Crimmins played a significant role in Georgia's adoption of its 2010 regulation limiting restraint to emergency situations and banning seclusion in public schools throughout the state and in the Georgia network of educational and therapeutic support programs, 24 programs located throughout Georgia serving students with severe social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Through this regulation and other actions, Georgia has demonstrated that a culture of positive supports and interventions has resulted in a safer environment for students and staff.

Ms. Cyndi Pitonyak, Coordinator of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Montgomery County Public Schools (Christiansburg, Virginia.) For 20 years, Montgomery County Public Schools has used a fully inclusive model of instructions for all students with a strong emphasis on positive behavioral interventions on a school-wide/DISTRICT-WIDE basis.

Dr. , Director, Centennial School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania). The Centennial School has been a national leader over the last decade in the use of positive behavioral Interventions and supports for students with disabilities. Use of restraints and seclusion has declined from well over 1,000 occurrences per year to less than ten. Centennial serves over 35 school districts and provides education for students with the most significant emotional, social, and behavioral needs. The Centennial School's approach has been featured in the national news media.

Ms. Deborah (Debbie) , parent (Easton, Pennsylvania). Ms. is the parent of a child who attended Centennial School for two and a half years, benefitting from its positive approach and recently transitioning back to a neighborhood school. The May 17 Senate hearings may be viewed on a traditional computer or tablet, and on many smart phones. http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/ Both Senator Harkin and Congressman have been tremendous leaders in seeking national legislation to protect the 55 million American children from restraint and seclusion. Their two bills would protect children from dangerous restraint and seclusion through multiple provisions. Restraint would be prohibited except in the event of an emergency posing harm of significant physical danger. The House bill would limit seclusion the same way; the Senate bill would ban it. Both bills will also ban restraint that impedes breathing and chemical and mechanical restraints. Both bills will require schools to take steps to notify parents on the say when their child is subjected to abusive procedures. More than half of the states do not have laws requiring parental notification. Congressional Affairs CoordinatorAutism National Committee (AutCom)22 years of advocating for children and adults with autism and related disabilitiesemail: jessica@...www.autcom.org