For those of you who may not be aware, CPI provides services to communities in other areas besides training. We have been invited to participate in many conferences and committees and we are always happy to lend our years of experience in safe behavior management to those who need it.
A recent example is how our own Dr. Randy Boardman, executive director of research and development, traveled to Missouri last November, where he presented before the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Model Policy Committee. Randy was invited to participate in the committee to provide assistance in development of a model policy on restraint and seclusion.
To provide some background, the state of Missouri updated an existing law, Senate bill 291, section 160.263, Restrictive Behavioral Intervention, to require each school district to adopt a written policy on the use of restraint and seclusion. These policies will prohibit school personnel use of restraint, isolation, and seclusion, unless they are faced with an emergency or crisis situation. All personnel must be annually trained in restraint and seclusion practices, in areas including de-escalation practices, methods to explain use of restraint to students and parents, and information on appropriate documentation and notification procedures, and others.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education created the model policy so that each district can use it as a guide as they develop their own. Each district is required to have a policy in place as of July 1, 2011.
In addition to his presentation, Randy also worked with the committee on several drafts of the model policy. His involvement with the committee lasted for about one year.
Randy told me about why his work with the state was so important. "The efforts of this committee will allow students to be valued, respected, and positively reinforced more often," he said. "This committee's actions will save someone's life."
Randy’s and the rest of the task force’s efforts paid off when the policy was released this month.