New Oregon Rules on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools

Oregon House Bill 2939 was adopted on August 2, 2011 and goes into effect July 1, 2012. The bill addresses safety in public education programs and prohibits use of mechanical restraint, chemical restraint, or prone restraint on students but allows the use of physical restraint or seclusion under the following circumstances:

• When the student’s behavior imposes a reasonable threat of imminent, serious bodily injury to the student or others; and
• When less restrictive interventions would not be effective.

The bill specifically states that physical restraint and seclusion may not be used for discipline, punishment, or for the convenience of personnel of the public education program. If physical restraint or seclusion is used on a student, it must be:

• Used only for as long as the student’s behavior poses a reasonable threat of imminent, serious bodily injury to the student or others;
• Imposed by personnel of the program who are trained in the use of physical restraint and seclusion;
• Continuously monitored by personnel of the public education program for the duration of the restraint or seclusion.

Additionally, the bill requires debriefing, immediate parental notification when physical restraint or seclusion has been used, and data collection and reporting on the use of physical restraint and seclusion.


CPI can help you meet the Oregon requirements.
CPI is the standard-setting provider of behavior management training that equips employees to have an immediate, tangible, and lasting positive impact on the people and organizations they serve. Since 1980, more than six million professionals—including tens of thousands of educators—have participated in CPI's Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® training. The program offers proven strategies for safely managing disruptive, assaultive, and out-of-control behavior.

By giving educators the skills to guide students toward more positive behavioral choices, the training can be an effective part of an overall positive behavioral interventions and support (PBIS) system.


See the programs CPI has scheduled in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Vancouver.

More information
For more information about how our training program can help you feel safe at school again, call us today at 800.558.8976. Our training is offered both on site and in 150 locations worldwide. For additional information about Oregon’s House Bill 2939 or to read the legislation in its entirety, visit crisisprevention.com/legislation. 

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