Action Alert: Senate Hearing on Alternatives to Restraint & Seclusion on July 12

[Guest guest]

Senate Hearing on Alternatives to Restraint & Seclusion

Tomorrow, July 12th at 10:30 a.m. EDT, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Beyond Seclusion and Restraint: Creating Positive Learning Environments for All Students.” The focus of the hearing

will be positive alternatives to restraint and seclusion and the need for policies contained in the Keeping All Students Safe Act (S. 2020, H.R. 1381), which AUCD strongly supports. See AUCD’s Action Alert below and email Congress email your members of Congress using AUCD’s Action Center:

http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm

The hearing will likely be webcast live and archived here:

http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=28ddbd0d-5056-9502-5dea-7197eb6434c8

Ellen Jensby, JD, Policy Analyst

Association of University Centers on Disabilities

ejensby@...

www.aucd.org

ACTION ALERT!

Tell Congress to Limit Restraint and Seclusion in Schools

SUMMARY:

The Keeping All Students Safe Act (S. 2020, H.R. 1381) will establish national minimum standards to limit the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. Among other protections, the bills would:

• Ensure that restraint and seclusion are used only in emergencies threatening the physical safety of the student or others

• Promote a shift toward preventing problematic behavior through the use of de-escalation techniques, conflict management and evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports

• Require prompt parental notification when children are subjected to restraint

On Thursday, July 12th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on alternatives to restraint and seclusion and ways to promote positive learning environments for all students. Tell Congress to move the Keeping All Students

Safe Act forward NOW!

TAKE ACTION:

Call your members of Congress:

• Visit AUCD’s Action Center

http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm to find out the name of your US Representative and two Senators (scroll down and enter your zip code)

• Dial the Capitol Switchboard at and ask for the office of your Senators and Representative

• Identify yourself as a constituent and the organization that you represent (if any)

• Give them your message, then pass this alert along to others!

Message: “I am calling to ask Senator/Representative _________ to move legislation to limit restraint and seclusion in schools. Restraint and seclusion should only be used in emergencies threatening the physical safety of the student or others. The Keeping

All Students Safe Act will create a baseline of protections to ensure the safety of all students and school personnel. I urge Sen./Rep.__________ to address this national problem and move the Keeping All Students Safe Act now.”

TALKING POINTS:

• Restraint and seclusion use is widespread – national data shows that nearly 40,000 students were physically restrained during the 2009-2010 school year, with about 70% of those students being students with disabilities.

• Restraint and seclusion can cause trauma, injury and death to children. School personnel are frequently injured when implementing these techniques.

• This bill would ensure that restraint and seclusion are only used in emergencies threatening the physical safety of the student or others, and that less restrictive alternatives be used if they will prevent the threat.

• Many states permit restraint and seclusion in non-emergencies where physical safety is not in danger. Because these practices are so dangerous, they must be limited ONLY to emergency situations.

• The use of positive supports and interventions greatly diminishes and even eliminates the need to use restraint and seclusion, as evidence has shown. For example, the Centennial School in Pennsylvania, which serves children with disabilities in 35 school

districts, has cut the use of restraint and seclusion from well over 1,000 occurrences per year to less than 10 through the use of positive supports.

• Reports and studies have shown that students and staff are safer when positive interventions and supports, rather than restraint and seclusion, are used in schools. Worker's Compensation costs even decrease significantly.

• We have known about the dangers of restraint and seclusion for many years – legislation to limit their use is long overdue.

• The current patchwork of state laws and regulations is not enough to ensure that every child is protected.

BACKGROUND:

For additional background, see AUCD’s fact sheet on this issue.

http://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/abuse_neglect/Restraint%20and%20Seclusion%20handout%202011%20updated.pdf