The use of restraint and seclusion in public education settings in the United States dates to at least the 1960s. However, its use likely dates back at least 200 years. As advocacy and policy changes in the 1970s rightfully inspired the deinstitutionalization and integration of students who historically attended state-run psychiatric hospitals into public education, tactics historically used in those psychiatric settings unfortunately followed them into the schools. Despite the longstanding and documented history and harms of restraint and seclusion, 27 US States and Territories have no statutes or regulations on restraint and seclusion in public schools. Though restraint and seclusion continue to be challenged in the legal system (with violations filed under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act), federal regulation has yet to be enacted, and America’s children continue to suffer injury and death as a result. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the ethical issues surrounding restraint and seclusion as well as the risks and harms of its use. Finally, we present a framework for policy makers and educators (broadly defined) to follow to reduce the use of these brutal tactics and most importantly, protect America’s children from adult-inflicted harm.

3 Learning Objectives

1. Participants will identify ethical issues pertaining to the use of restraint and seclusion.
2. Participants will identify the potential risks and benefits of using restraint and seclusion.
3. Participants will describe reinforcement-based strategies to support behavior change in absence of restraint and seclusion.

About the Presenter

Matthew Brodhead

Matthew T. Brodhead is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. He is the Director of Spartan Caregiver Support, a service that provides free and evidence-based support to caregivers of people with autism within the State of Michigan. He is also the Research Director of the Early Learning Institute. Dr. Brodhead’s research examines focused social skill interventions for children with autism. He also writes about conceptual issues relating to the ethical and professional behavior of practicing behavior analysts. Through workshops and consultation, he has established multiple school-based programs for children with autism, and he has provided training to teachers, related service providers, and behavior analysts both nationally and internationally. Finally, he specializes in program evaluation for both applied behavior analysis and public school placements for individuals with autism. Dr. Brodhead received both his B.S. in Psychology in 2008 and his M.A. in Behavior Analysis in 2010 from Western Michigan University. In summer of 2010, he moved to Logan, Utah and attended Utah State University, where he received his Ph.D. in Disability Disciplines in 2014 under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Tom Higbee. Dr. Brodhead holds a BCBA credential with a doctoral designation (i.e., BCBA-D). He is also a licensed behavior analyst in the State of Michigan.