Alabama State Board of Health/Department of Public Health Chapter 420-5-7

The Alabama State Board of Health/Department of Public Health has adopted Chapter 420-5-7, sections 6 and 7 of which govern the restraint and seclusion of hospital patients in Alabama and outline staff training requirements. The rules are effective as of September 28, 2012 and state that patients have the right to the safe implementation of restraint or seclusion, which should be used only as a last resort by trained staff.

CPI commends Alabama on the new rule, which will help create a better and safer environment for patients in Alabama hospitals.

Section 6 states:
All patients have the right to be free from physical or mental abuse, and corporal punishment. All patients have the right to be free from restraint or seclusion, of any form, imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff. Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed to ensure the immediate physical safety of the patient, a staff member, or others and shall be discontinued at the earliest possible time.

This language mirrors that of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Conditions of Participation: Patient Rights. Hospitals in Alabama that already meet the requirements outlined in the CMS-CoPs also meet Alabama’s new requirements.

CPI can help you meet the requirements of Alabama’s new rules!
The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® training program’s evidence-based techniques have been shown to be effective in both the prevention of and the safe use of physical restraint and seclusion. Our program provides training in identifying the underlying causes of the patient behaviors that can lead to restraint or seclusion, and in recognizing that staff behavior affects patient behavior, and vice versa. The training centers on prevention and de-escalation techniques and other alternatives to the use of restraint and seclusion, as well as information on evaluating risk of harm; monitoring for signs of distress; documenting incidents; and safe, less-restrictive physical interventions to be used only as a last resort.

Our training can be tailored to the unique needs of your hospital. With our train-the-trainer option, select staff can be certified to teach the program to other professionals in your hospital on a continuing basis.

CPI offers training in more than 150 locations throughout the US, and a cost-effective, on-site training option is also available. We have several programs scheduled in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida.

Additional Resources:

• Read the full Chapter 420-5-7.
• Learn about the relationship between the Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Patients’ Rights (42 CFR Part 482) and the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® training program.
• Read about the relationship between the Joint Commission Standards on Restraint and Seclusion and the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® training program.