A urine soaked scream room. A child stuffed in a duffel bag. Vinegar soaked cotton balls put in a child's mouth. Slapped on the head with plastic bottles. Child dragged through a playground across asphalt with pants down. Shoved to the floor and dead from asphyxiation. Handcuffed and duct-taped. Degraded. Dehumanized. Traumatized. Mob stories? No, it is just a scratch of the surface of what has happened to children in special education in the past year. Not in a third world country, but here in America.
Today, as I write, children with autism are regularly and legally restrained and secluded against their will. Most states have little to no laws regarding seclusion and restraint. What is even worse is the fact that seclusion, restraint and aversives have been proven to be an ineffective way to modify behavior, but they are still used in education. In fact, it actually increases behavior in many children, and has the potential to cause physical and long lasting trauma to a child (Jones & Timbers, 2002; Magee & Ellis, 2001; Natta, Holmbeck, Kupst, Pines & Schulman, 1990) (1)(2)(3).
For over a decade, the United States Health & Human Services Department's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized that seclusion and restraint are traumatic NOT therapeutic(4). Mental health experts have developed tools and protocols that have successfully helped many mental health facilities and schools significantly reduce seclusion and restraints.
Educating, Debating & Legislating...A Slow Process
While America's special needs children are traumatized at school, sometimes physically injured to the point of death, legislators still debate whether or not to support a federal law to keep all children safe. Some debate whether to support a "federal" law because they are "pro-states rights". Yet, disabled children can't wait around for individual states to "do the right thing" and pass similar laws. If states were capable of doing the right thing, they would have already done it. Other legislators listen to the lobbyists who demand they "need" to use seclusion and restraint even though these methods are not evidence based or therapeutic. And while both Senator Harkin and Representative Miller have introduced the Keeping All Children Safe Act, S.2020 and H.R.1381 respectively, which would help protect children from the abuse of seclusion and restraint, the legislation still needs cosponsors and more "debate" is expected.
And while this debate continues, the fact is that the only way to help every American child is to pass a federal law. Senate Bill 2020 would prohibit schools from using seclusion and aversives. It would also prohibit restraint from being written into IEPs. Restraint could only be used in an emergency and as a last resort (i.e. child about to hurt self or others).
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Today, as I write, children with autism are regularly and legally restrained and secluded against their will. Most states have little to no laws regarding seclusion and restraint. What is even worse is the fact that seclusion, restraint and aversives have been proven to be an ineffective way to modify behavior, but they are still used in education. In fact, it actually increases behavior in many children, and has the potential to cause physical and long lasting trauma to a child (Jones & Timbers, 2002; Magee & Ellis, 2001; Natta, Holmbeck, Kupst, Pines & Schulman, 1990) (1)(2)(3).
For over a decade, the United States Health & Human Services Department's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized that seclusion and restraint are traumatic NOT therapeutic(4). Mental health experts have developed tools and protocols that have successfully helped many mental health facilities and schools significantly reduce seclusion and restraints.
Educating, Debating & Legislating...A Slow Process
While America's special needs children are traumatized at school, sometimes physically injured to the point of death, legislators still debate whether or not to support a federal law to keep all children safe. Some debate whether to support a "federal" law because they are "pro-states rights". Yet, disabled children can't wait around for individual states to "do the right thing" and pass similar laws. If states were capable of doing the right thing, they would have already done it. Other legislators listen to the lobbyists who demand they "need" to use seclusion and restraint even though these methods are not evidence based or therapeutic. And while both Senator Harkin and Representative Miller have introduced the Keeping All Children Safe Act, S.2020 and H.R.1381 respectively, which would help protect children from the abuse of seclusion and restraint, the legislation still needs cosponsors and more "debate" is expected.
And while this debate continues, the fact is that the only way to help every American child is to pass a federal law. Senate Bill 2020 would prohibit schools from using seclusion and aversives. It would also prohibit restraint from being written into IEPs. Restraint could only be used in an emergency and as a last resort (i.e. child about to hurt self or others).
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
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