If passed, Florida SB 1350 will become effective on July 1, 2011. It will require that physical restraint be used only in emergency by trained staff, when the student poses a risk to self or others.
 

The bill provides the following requirements for the use of physical restraints: 
 

  • manual physical restraint be used only in an emergency when there is an imminent risk of serious injury or death to the student or others;

  • prohibits the use of manual physical restraint by school personnel who are not certified to use district-approved methods for applying restraint techniques;

  • requires that each school medically evaluate a student after the student is manually physically restrained;

  • prohibits school personnel from placing a student in seclusion;

  • requires that school personnel be trained and certified in the use of manual physical restraint;

  • requires that a school district report its training and certification procedures to the Department of Education.

Click here for more information about the bill.

CPI can help!
Our Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training program techniques have been shown to be effective in both the prevention of and the safe use of physical restraint and seclusion. Our evidence-based program is designed to equip your staff with methods for identifying and understanding the underlying causes of the student behaviors that can lead to restraint or seclusion. The training focuses on prevention and de-escalation techniques and other alternatives to restraint and seclusion, as well as using safe, less-restrictive physical interventions only as a last resort. 

Our training can be tailored to the unique needs of your school or district. With our train-the-trainer option, select staff can be certified to teach the program to other staff on a continuing basis. We also offer specialized materials to help you center your trainings around a comprehensive PBIS plan to decrease problem behavior and promote positive behavior choices.

We have numerous public programs coming up in Florida, and an on-site training option is also available.