The Georgia State Board of Education passed Rule 160-5-1-.35 Seclusion and Restraint for All Students, which became effective on July 29, 2010. The rule prohibits the use of seclusion, mechanical restraint, prone restraint, and chemical restraint—and establishes the criteria required for staff to consider before using physical restraint to maintain safety at school.
More specifically, requirements of the bill include:
- All physical restraint must be immediately terminated when the student is no longer an immediate danger to himself or others or if the student is observed to be in severe distress.
- Any school or program that utilizes physical restraint must develop a written policy to govern its use.
- Any school or program that utilizes physical restraint must ensure that staff are trained in a system of restraint techniques that is provided as a part of a program which addresses a full continuum of positive behavioral intervention strategies as well as prevention and de-escalation techniques.
Is Your School Prepared to Meet the New Regulations?
Since 1980, more than six million human service professionals—including tens of thousands of educators and special educators—have participated in CPI's Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training. During the program, participants learn how to de-escalate potentially dangerous behavior and how to most safely intervene should physical restraint techniques become necessary—as a last resort when an individual is a danger to self or others.
CPI Can Help!
We encourage you to act now so your school can meet the new Georgia requirements. CPI can provide Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training and certify key staff members to train additional staff through our “train-the-trainer” Instructor Certification Program. Our training is offered regularly in more than 150 locations worldwide, and on-site training options are also available.
See the programs CPI has scheduled in Georgia.