Recent Changes in State Policies and Legislation regarding Restraint or Seclusion

Abstract

In this article, we describe and evaluate the extent to which recent changes to state-level policy are related to seclusion and restraint in schools and detail what components of comprehensive restraint and seclusion policy are indicated. We examined state policy documents and coded them for the presence of specific characteristics related to prevention of problem behavior, intervention, and reporting. Results indicate a clear consensus that restraint and seclusion procedures should be used only as a last resort in the case of emergency and not as a punitive measure. Additional policy trends include recommendations for the use of positive behavior supports and the use of deescalation strategies. Some debate exists about the use of time limits and limitations on specific techniques, such as prone restraints.