Few States Take Action On Restraint And Seclusion, Report Finds

A year after an advocacy group report revealed widespread incidents of abusive and even deadly restraint and seclusion tactics in schools, states have been slow to respond, a new report indicates.

In the last year just two states — Minnesota and Missouri — passed laws limiting use of restraint and seclusion in schools, while departments of education in six states created or bolstered rules governing the practices.

Nonetheless, 39 percent of states continue to have no laws or policies guiding restraint and seclusion practices in schools, according to a follow-up report issued by the National Disability Rights Network Tuesday. (Read all of Disability Scoop’s coverage of restraint and seclusion >>)

“There has been a fair amount of activity over the past year,” said Curt Decker, executive director of the group in announcing the new report. “There is still a great deal to be done and a very patchwork approach to this issue.”

This week Congress is set to begin work on federal legislation to curb restraint and seclusion in schools. The bill, which is expected to be discussed at a House committee meeting Thursday, would prohibit certain practices and require schools to notify parents if restraint or seclusion is used with a student.