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September 4, 2008
PA to Prohibit Prone Restraints in Children’s Residential Facilities
The Pennsylvania Department of Welfare has released a DRAFT Bulletin titled "Prone Restraints in Children’s Facilities". The Department is seeking public comment. The Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania (MHAPA) supports the efforts to eliminate aversive practices toward children in residential care, including prone restraints. MHAPA has reviewed this bulletin and supports it in full. MHAPA encourages you to submit comments in support of the Bulletin as drafted (see “How To” info below).
The bulletin prohibits prone restraints in Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities that are funded by the Department of Public Welfare, including Psychiatric, Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities, and the state operated Juvenile Justice Youth Development Centers and Youth Forestry Camps.
The Department has published an accompanying bulletin to implement the prone restraint ban titled Strategies and Practices to Eliminate the Use of Unnecessary Restraints.
Excerpt from Prone Restraint Ban Bulletin:
Prone restraints are those in which a child is face down on the floor.
Prone restraints bring the risk of serious injury or death of the child or staff, emotional trauma to the child or staff, and the disruption of the relationships between the child, family members, peers and staff. Prone restrains are particularly dangerous because they can impede or even prevent breathing by placing pressure or weight on the child’s respiratory system.
All program offices will work together to eliminate the use of prone restraints in all facilities that serve children. (Public Welfare offices only)
How To Support the Prone Restraint Ban
Both the bulletins are available through the links below. The public is invited to send comments, due no later than September 15, 2008. Comments can be submitted to:
RA-policyoffice@state.pa.us with a subject line “no prone comments” 2008.
Persons without Internet access can send their written comments to:
Angie Logan
Executive Policy Specialist,
Office of Policy Development, Department of Public Welfare,
332 Health and Welfare Building,
P.O. Box 2675,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675
Please add a note on the front of the envelop “No Prone Restraint Comments.”
Download PDFs:
- Prone Restraints in Residential Facilities Draft Bulletin
- Strategies and Practices to Eliminate the Use of Unnecessary Restraints Draft Bulletin