Virginia HB325 was signed on April 18, 2012. As of September 1, it requires each school board to ensure that aides assigned to work with teachers of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) receive training in student behavior management within 60 days of assignment to such responsibility. It also requires the Virginia Board of Education, in consultation with Virginia Commonwealth University, to develop online training that school divisions can use to fulfill the bill’s requirements. The training will be made available to local school divisions free of charge.
Read more: April 2012 Legislation Activity Update…
Wisconsin passed the 2011 Wisconsin Act 125 (formerly SB 353, a companion to AB 455), which guides the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools. Effective September 1, 2012, the legislation requires that all Wisconsin public school employees that use physical restraint be trained in the safe use of restraint. Restraint may be used only when a pupil’s behavior presents a clear, present, and immediate risk to the physical safety of the pupil or others, and only when it is the least restrictive intervention available. High-risk positions are prohibited.
Read more: Wisconsin Passes Bill on Restraint and Seclusion in Public Schools…
All employees in programs certified by the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) must be trained in the safe use of restraint. As of March 1, 2012, the updated ADMH rules require that restraint be used only when the client’s behavior presents a clear, present, and immediate risk to the physical safety of the client or others, and only when it is the least restrictive intervention available.
Read more: Updated Seclusion and Restraint Rules for Alabama…
CPI continues to monitor national legislation regarding restraint and seclusion. Here is a summary of the most recent activity.
Wyoming passed Chapter 42: Restraint and Seclusion in Schools, effective December 1, 2011. It requires public school staff training to prevent the use of restraint and seclusion; development of incident review and debriefing strategies; and documentation of each restraint or seclusion incident.
Read more: December Legislation Activity Update…
Twenty-one states have passed anti-bullying laws this year, in response to the US Department of Bullying and Education’s increased focus on bullying, according to a recent article.
Though the laws vary by state, they reflect an increased sense of priority in the fight against bullying, as the problem has become more publicized, and cyber bullying is more common.
Read more: 21 States Pass Anti-Bullying Laws in 2011…
