Connecticut

They combine this with physical restraint. "Physical restraint" means any mechanical or personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the free movement of a person's arms, legs or head.

Any mechanical or personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the free movement of a person's arms, legs, or head including, but not limited to, carrying or forcibly moving a person from one location to another.

“Psychopharmacologic Agent” means any medication that affects the central nervous system, influencing thinking, emotion, or behavior. Use of a Psychopharmacologic Agent - No school employee may use a psychopharmacologic agent on a student without that student's consent except (1) as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others, or (2) as an integral part of the student's established medical or behavioral support or educational plan, as developed consistent with Section 17a-543 of the general statutes or, if no such plan has been developed as part of a licensed practitioner's initial orders. The use of psychopharmacologic agents, alone or in combination, may be used only in doses that are therapeutically appropriate and not as a substitute for other appropriate treatment.

A temporary, continuously monitored separation of a student from an ongoing activity in a non-locked setting, for the purpose of calming such student or deescalating such student’s behavior. An exclusionary time out becomes a reportable “seclusion” if or when the student is physically or otherwise prohibited from leaving the space.

The confinement of a person in a room, from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. "Seclusion" does not include an exclusionary time out. The term does not include any confinement of a person at risk in which the person is physically able to leave the area of confinement including, but not limited to, in-school suspension and time-out. Although an area or room can be assigned for the purpose of seclusion, a seclusion can be conducted in a classroom, hallway, office, etc., recognizing the defining criteria as the fact that the student is not allowed to leave the room, space, or area.

N/A

Rooms used for seclusion must be of a size that is appropriate to the chronological and developmental age, size, and behavior of the student at risk. They must have a ceiling height that is comparable to the ceiling height of the other rooms in the building in which it is located, and be equipped with heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting systems that are comparable to the systems that are in use in the other rooms of the building in which it is located. Rooms used for seclusion must be free of any object that poses a danger to the student at risk who is being placed in the room, and must conform to applicable building code requirements. If the door or doors to a room used for seclusion are to be locked, latched, or otherwise secured, a modification from the Office of the State Fire Marshal must be secured prior to the installation of a locking mechanism. If a door locking mechanism is used, the student at risk must be constantly monitored notwithstanding any other provisions of the CGS or the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies to the contrary. The locking mechanism to be used must be a device that will be readily released by staff as soon as possible, but in no case, longer than within two minutes of the onset of an emergency and is connected to the fire alarm system so that the locking mechanism is released automatically when a fire alarm is sounded. The door to a room used for seclusion must have an unbreakable observation window located in a wall or door to permit frequent visual monitoring of the person at risk and any provider or assistant in such room. Rooms used for seclusion must also be equipped with a window or other fixture allowing such student a clear line of sight beyond the area of seclusion.

As an emergency response to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the person at risk or to others, provided the emergency restraint or emergency seclusion is not used for discipline or convenience and is not used as a substitute for a less restrictive alternative;

Same as physical restraint

No school employee may use a psychopharmacologic agent on a student without that student's consent except (1) as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others, or (2) as an integral part of the student's established medical or behavioral support or educational plan, as developed consistent with Section 17a-543 of the general statutes or, if no such plan has been developed as part of a licensed practitioner's initial orders. The use of psychopharmacologic agents, alone or in combination, may be used only in doses that are therapeutically appropriate and not as a substitute for other appropriate treatment.

Schools are no longer permitted to use seclusion as a planned “behavioral intervention”. Connecticut law is now very clear: students cannot be subjected to either restraint or seclusion, “except as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or others, provided [the restraint or seclusion] is not used for discipline or convenience and is not used as a substitute for a less restrictive alternative.” If an episode of restraint or seclusion last longer than 15 minutes, professional or administrative review and approval is required. Students who are secluded must be continuously monitored, and seclusion areas must be equipped with a window or other f ixture allowing the student to see outside the seclusion area.

A teacher or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor for school purposes may use reasonable physical force upon such minor when and to the extent such teacher or other person reasonably believes such force to be necessary to protect himself or herself or others from immediate physical injury, obtain possession of a dangerous instrument or controlled substance, as defined in subdivision (9) of section 21a-240, upon or within the control of such minor, protect property from physical damage, or restrain such minor or remove such minor to another area, to maintain order.

Exclusionary time out is the most restrictive level of time out, in which the student cannot observe the ongoing activities. The student is under constant supervision of a qualified staff person and may be engaged in de-escalation exercises or restitution procedures. Seclusion means the confinement of a person in a room, from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. Seclusion does not include an exclusionary time out. Exclusionary time out means a temporary, continuously monitored separation of a student from an ongoing activity in a non-locked setting, for the purpose of calming such student or deescalating such student's behavior. "Seclusion" prohibits the student from leaving the space, while "exclusionary time out" implies that a student can leave the area at will. Any student who is involuntarily placed in seclusion shall be frequently monitored by a school employee. Exclusionary time out removes the student from all probable reinforces by being placed in a different room where the student is under the constant supervision of a qualified staff or may be engaged in de-escalation exercises or restitution procedures with a staff member.

Yes

Each local or regional board of education must notify a parent or guardian of a student who is placed in physical restraint or seclusion not later than 24 hours after the student was placed in physical restraint or seclusion and must make a reasonable effort to provide such notification immediately after such physical restraint or seclusion is initiated. Such notification must be made by phone, e-mail, or other method, which may include but is not limited to, sending a note home with the child. The parent of such child, regardless of whether he or she received such notification, must be sent a copy of the incident report no later than two business days after the emergency use of physical restraint or seclusion.

Each local or regional board of education and each institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education must record each instance of the use of physical restraint or seclusion on a student, specify the nature of the emergency that necessitated the use of such physical restraint or seclusion, and include such information in an annual compilation on the use of such restraint and seclusion on students. Note: A compilation of the use of restraint or seclusion with general education students should be maintained separately by the district.

Record each instance of the use of physical restraint or seclusion on a student; The parent of such child, regardless of whether he or she received such notification, must be sent a copy of the incident report no later than two business days after the emergency use of physical restraint or seclusion.

CGS 10-236b requires the CSDE to collect data from each local or regional board of education and each institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education. The required data includes, for students at risk or identified as special education only, all instances of the emergency use of restraint and seclusion, the status of the student (special education eligible or in the referral process), the nature of the emergency that necessitated its use, and all instances of physical injury as a result of restraint or seclusion including serious injuries (defined as requiring attention beyond basic first aid). The annual report (limited to special education students) will provide a statewide snapshot summarizing the frequency of use of physical restraint or seclusion on students, the duration of a restraint or seclusion, and the nature of the emergency - risk to self or risk to others.

Such report must be submitted to the General Assembly by the Bureau of Special Education no later than January 15th of each year.

https://portal.ct.gov/sde/performance/data-collection-help-sites/restraint-and-seclusion-help-site

Public schools and some private schools contracted with public

A student may be physically restrained or removed to seclusion only by a school employee who has received training in physical management, physical restraint, and seclusion procedures. Effective July 1, 2017, Substitute Bill 7276, provided mandated relief for districts (Section 5) and reduced the number of school district employees who must receive training and professional development in the physical restraint and seclusion of children, eliminating the requirement that ALL school professionals, paraprofessionals, and administrators be trained in the proper means/techniques of student restraint and seclusion. Current legislation requires that an identified crisis intervention team, in each school building, in each district, be trained in the prevention of the use of restraint and seclusion and how to appropriately intervene when necessary.