Shouldn’t School Be Safe? Preventing Restraint, Seclusion and Aversive Interventions
Available April 4 through May 4, 2012
Each day, children with disabilities are at risk of restraint, seclusion and other aversive interventions that cause significant physical and emotional trauma. And while we continue to work toward federal legislation that would restrict these practices, there is something you can do to make a difference in your schools and communities. Join us for a four-part webinar series April 4-May 4, 2012, and gain the tools, knowledge and resources needed to prevent and respond to restraint and seclusion, and become a powerful advocate for change!
Download the Webinar Flyer or Register Online
Participate in the full series, or select the session that best fits you. All sessions are streaming online 24/7 from April 4-May 4, 2012.
TASH Members
Individual – $35
Group – $65
Non Members
Individuals – $55
Group – $85
Session Overview
Shouldn’t School Be Safe? Preventing and Eliminating the Use of Aversives, Restraint and Seclusion | Pat Amos
The rising tide of Positive Behavior Supports has not lifted all boats, and many students with disabilities continue to be subjected to restraint, seclusion and other aversives as part of their education and behavior intervention plan. Evidence clearly demonstrates that these practices are not education – they are the failure of education. Through their use, students learn that “might makes right” and fail to acquire productive, socially acceptable long- term strategies for communicating and meeting their needs. Participants in this session will learn to understand how to work together to eliminate these highly dangerous and counterproductive techniques.
Pat Amos is a parent and has been an advocate for people with disabilities and their families for more than 25 years. She currently works as an Inclusion Specialist with the Youth Advocate Program’s Autism Institute.
The Business Case for Reducing Restraint and Seclusion Use | Janice LeBel
By reviewing the limited data on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, along with greater details from the health care sector, what emerges is a picture of high-risk, costly procedures that claim far more than dollars and cents. A significant price is paid for restraint and seclusion on staff, students and schools. Through this session we’ll examine the fiscal impact of restraint and seclusion and the multiple dimensions of costs incurred at the systemic, organizational and personal levels. We’ll also look at examples of savings from effective changes in organizational culture, and share with participants how to obtain low/no cost materials to support restraint and seclusion prevention in schools.
Janice LeBel is a licensed psychologist with more than 25 years experience in public mental health. She oversees Massachusetts’ $25 million system of inpatient and secure residential care for youth, and leads the Department of Mental Health’s Restraint/Seclusion Prevention Initiative.
How to Protect Students with Disabilities through Manifestation Determination | Barbara Ransom
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires students with disabilities to receive supports and services for access to the general curriculum, and receive an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. Nonetheless, students with disabilities are frequently denied these rights, suspended and expelled more often than peers and denied the supports and services they need. Through this session we’ll explore IDEA’s procedural safeguards, including child find; functional behavioral assessments and behavior intervention plans; positive behavior approaches; and the manifestation determination review process. We’ll discuss how these safeguards are designed to protect students, and learn how to put an end to the failure to identify and the misclassification of students that can put them on the fast track to the juvenile justice system.
Barbara Ransom has more than 20 years experience as a plaintiff’s attorney in disability rights, including advocacy for students with disabilities and their rights to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. She has represented parents and students with disabilities in due process hearings and in federal courts.
Understanding the Effects of Trauma on the Lives of those we serve: Developing Trauma Informed Systems of Care | Joan Gillece
Restraint and seclusion are very dangerous practices with serious and long-lasting effects far beyond when the incident occurs. Through this session, we’ll dive deep into the long-term effects of trauma on the lives of people subjected to these practices, including what the research in mental health and child development tells us about enduring psychological harm caused by restraint and seclusion. We’ll also cover positive alternatives and identify techniques for prevention of these practices.
Joan Gillece is the director for the SAMHSA National Center for Trauma Informed Care, and SAMHSA Promot- ing Alternatives to Seclusion and Restraint through Trauma-Informed Practices. She has 30 years experience working in the behavioral health field.
Registration Details
Registrants have access to webinars 24 hours a day from April 4-May 4! Following each webinar session you can also view discussion questions from the presenters, respond with your thoughts and connect with other participants through our interactive forum!
TASH Members
Individual – $35
Group – $65
Non Members
Individuals – $55
Group – $85
Convenient Ways to Register
1. E-mail the registration form to pallen@tash.org
2. Fax (202) 540-9019
3. Call us at (202) 509-9596
4. Click here to register online
5. Send the registration form to TASH, 1001 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 235, Washington, DC 20036