Rhode Island

"Mechanical restraint" means the use of devices such as mittens, straps, or restraint chairs to limit a person’s movement or hold a person immobile as an intervention precipitated by the person’s behavior. Mechanical restraint applies to uses intended to prevent injury with persons who engage in behaviors such as head-banging, gouging, or other self-injurious actions that result in tissue damage and medical problems. Mechanical restraint does not apply to restraint used to treat a person’s medical needs or to position a person with physical disabilities.

"Physical restraint/crisis intervention" means (a) "Manual restraint" means the use of physical intervention intended to hold a person immobile or limit a person’s movement by using body contact as the only source of physical restraint. Prone restraint is a type of manual restraint or hold that limits or controls the movement or normal functioning of any portion, or all, of a person's body while the person is in a face-down position, but does not include the temporary controlling of a person in a prone position while transitioning to an alternative, safer form of restraint; (b) "Seclusion restraint" means physically confining a student alone in a room or limited space without access to school staff. The use of “time out” procedures during which a staff member remains accessible to the student shall not be considered “seclusion restraint.” The use of seclusion restraint is prohibited in public education programs.

"Chemical restraint' means the administration of medication for the purpose of restraint. The use of medication restraint is prohibited in public education programs.

"Timeout" means a Punishment (Type II) procedure in which access to reinforcement is withdrawn for a certain period of time. Isolation “from the group” – Reinforcement is withdrawn and the student remains in a separate room or booth for a certain period of time. The small room or booth may or may not have a door.

"Seclusion" means placing a child alone in a locked room without supervision. Such action is strictly prohibited in Rhode Island.

"Corporal punishment" means the infliction of bodily pain as a penalty for disapproved behavior. Corporal punishment as defined shall not be used in public education programs.

There are no space or design requirements for a seclusion room because seclusion itself is strictly prohibited in public education programs.

Physical restraint/crisis intervention may be used only in the following circumstances: non-physical interventions would not be effective; and the student’s behavior poses a threat of imminent, serious, physical harm to self and/or others; and if a behavioral intervention plan has been developed for the student, those various positive reinforcement techniques have been implemented appropriately and the child has failed to respond to those reinforcement techniques.

Mechanical restraint applies to uses intended to prevent injury with persons who engage in behaviors such as head-banging, gouging, or other self-injurious actions that result in tissue damage and medical problems. Mechanical restraint does not apply to restraint used to treat a person’s medical needs or to position a person with physical disabilities.

The use of medication restraint is prohibited in public education programs.

(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the use of seclusion by law enforcement officers in the lawful exercise of their law enforcement duties.

Corporal punishment, as defined, shall not be used in public education programs.

The regulation does not set out specific criteria (such as circumstances under which timeout may be used).

Parent or guardian notification is required for restraint.

The school administration shall have procedures to inform the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) of the use of a restraint as soon as possible, and not later than two (2) school days after each incident. Written documentation of this notification shall be maintained by the public education program.

The written report required for restraint shall include: (1) The names and job titles of the staff who administered the restraint, and observers, if any, the date of the restraint, the time the restraint began and ended, and the name of the administrator who was verbally informed following the restraint; (2) A description of the activity in which the restrained student and other students and staff in the same room or vicinity were engaged immediately preceding the use of physical restraint/crisis intervention, the behavior that prompted the restraint, the efforts made to deescalate the situation, alternatives to restraint that were attempted, and the justification for initiating physical restraint/crisis intervention; (3) A description of the administration of the restraint including the holds used and reasons such holds were necessary, the student’s behavior and reactions during the restraint, how the restraint ended, and documentation of injury to the student and/or staff, if any, during the restraint and any medical care provided; (4) Information regarding any further action(s) that the school has taken or may take, including any disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed on the student, and a behavioral intervention plan was developed or modified as a result of the restraint; (5) Information regarding opportunities for the student’ parents or guardians to discuss with school officials the administration of the restraint, any disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed on the student and/or any other related matter.

The staff member who administered the physical restraint/crisis intervention shall inform the administration of any public education program of the use of a physical restraint/crisis intervention as soon as possible, and by a written report not later than the next working day. The administration shall maintain an ongoing written record of all reported instances of physical restraint/crisis intervention.

Each public educational program shall provide the R.I. Department of Education a record of every incident of the use of a physical restraint/crisis intervention on an annual basis. Seclusion is prohibited under this regulation, so there is no separate annual reporting timeline specifically for seclusion.

Regulations do not specify when the annual reporting of restraint is required by.

https://www.eride.ri.gov/eride2k5/RestraintCollection/#:~:text=Restraint%20Data%20Collection,Download%20Your%20Restraint%20Data%20File

These regulations govern the use of physical restraint and crisis intervention on all students in publicly funded elementary and secondary education programs, including all Rhode Island public school districts and regional public school districts, all Rhode Island State Operated Schools, all Public Charter Schools, educational programs operated by the Department for Children Youth and Families, Educational Collaborative Programs, and Local Educational Agencies operating a public education program

At the start of each school year, every public education program shall identify staff that are authorized to serve as a school-wide based resource to assist other staff in ensuring proper administration of physical restraint and crisis interventions. These staff members shall participate in advanced training in the use of physical restraint/crisis intervention beyond the basic training offered to all staff and the public education program shall document the extent of such training. The advanced training required in the proper administration of physical restraint/crisis intervention shall include, but not be limited to: appropriate procedures for preventing the need for physical restraint/crisis intervention, including the de-escalation of problematic behavior, relationship building and the use of alternatives to such restraints; a description and identification of dangerous behaviors on the part of students that may indicate the need for physical restraint/crisis intervention and methods for evaluating the risk of harm in individual situations in order to determine whether the use of physical restraint and crisis interventions are warranted; the simulated experience of administering and receiving physical restraint/crisis intervention, instruction regarding the effect(s) on the person restrained, including instruction on monitoring physical signs of distress and obtaining medical assistance; instruction regarding documentation and reporting requirements and investigation of injuries and complaints; and demonstration by participants of proficiency in administering physical restraint/crisis intervention.