CPI Presents to Missouri Department of Education
On November 19, 2009, CPI’s Executive Director of Research and Development, Dr. Randy Boardman made a presentation to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Model Policy Committee on Restraint and Seclusion, Senate Bill 291, Section 160.263 – Restrictive Behavioral Intervention. The law requires that the Department “…work with appropriate associations, organizations, agencies and individuals with expertise in behavior management.”
Dr. Boardman’s presentation provided the Committee with CPI resources – Terms Commonly Defined with Policy and Regulatory Guidance, Outline of Common Policy and Guidance Topics, and a listing of Additional Considerations. These considerations included:
When faced with a crisis situation, absent of proper training, staff will often react based on the emotions of the moment. Students and staff are safer when staff response is based on training.
Training staff to respond to and safely intervene in such moments of crisis cannot be a one-time event. Training must be a continual, ongoing process to become a matter of daily practice.
When a restraint technique involves the floor, the dangers of injury to staff and students increase. Also, the use of floor restraints significantly increases the risks for restraint-related positional asphyxia.
Restraints should be used as a last resort, only when the person’s behavior is more dangerous than the danger of using restraints.
The only safe physical restraint is the one staff did not have to use because they were able to de-escalate the situation in a less restrictive manner without a restraint.
While the Department of Education is not prepared to endorse a single training provider for state-wide use, they were appreciative of CPI’s willingness to provide our experience and expertise, and meet with them about our programs and supporting services. The Department of Education hopes to create a model policy on restraint and seclusion for local school districts across Missouri within the year. Dr. Boardman will continue to work with the Committee as they continue their work.
Originally posted here.
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