US DOE has developed 15 principles for states, school districts, school, parent, and other stakeholders to consider when developing or revising policies and procedures on the use of restraint and seclusion. These principles stress that every effort should be made to prevent the need for the use of restraint and seclusion and that any behavioral intervention must be consistent with the child’s rights to be treated with dignity and to be free from abuse. Schools must do everything possible to ensure all children can learn, develop, and participate in instructional programs that promote high levels of academic achievement. To accomplish this, schools must make every effort to structure safe environments and provide a behavioral framework, such as the use of positive behavior interventions and supports that applies to all children all staff, and all places in the school so that restraint and seclusion techniques are unnecessary.
Alaska Statutes 14.33.125 and 14.33.127 took effect on October 14, 2014. This legislation states that a school district shall provide crisis intervention training to a sufficient number of its employees to meet the needs of the school population. This required crisis intervention training must be part of a crisis intervention program that has been approved by EED.
Other district requirements include adding the use of seclusion and restraint to local school discipline and safety program policies and procedures as well as incident data collection/documentation and incident reporting to parents, to the department, and the public.
Crisis Intervention Training Programs
EED has identified 6 evidence-based nationally recognized crisis intervention training programs that align with the requirements set forth under Statute 14.33.127 Crisis Intervention Training.
To meet the Restraint & Seclusion training requirements, designated school personnel must complete one of the six crisis intervention training programs below as well as complete CPR and First Aid training.
- Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
- The Mandt System
- Right Response
- Safe Crisis Management
- Professional Crisis Management (PCMA)
- Professional Assault Crisis Training (Pro-ACT)
Other Required Trainings
- CPR - American Heart and First Aid - American Red Cross
National Resources
- U.S. Department of Education - Laws & Guidance relating to Restraint and Seclusion
- U.S. Department of Education - Resource Document
- Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS)
- Seclusion/Restraint
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors – Six Core strategies for the Reduction of Seclusion and Restraint Use
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
State Requirements
AS 14.33.125 Student restraint or seclusion; limitations.
AS 14.33.127 Crisis Intervention Training
4 AAC 06.175 and 4 AAC 06.177 Reporting and Training Programs