Connecticut Restraint and Seclusion Prevention Initiative

The Connecticut Restraint and Seclusion Prevention Initiative represents a partnership and ongoing collaboration by the following seven Connecticut State Agencies and Division:

---

---

Connecticut Restraint and Seclusion Prevention Initiative Partnership

In the pursuit of providing safe and positive service environments throughout Connecticut through a coordinated statewide effort the following partners participate in the Connecticut Restraint and Seclusion Prevention Initiative:

• Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD)
• Connecticut Judicial Branch Court Support Service Division (CSSD)
• Department of Children and Families (DCF)
• Department of Correction (DOC)
• Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
• Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS)
• Department of Public Health (DPH)
• Individuals with Lived Experience
• National Alliance on Mental Illness, Connecticut (NAMI-CT)
• Office of the Child Advocate (OCA)
• Office of Early Childhood (OEC)
• Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA)
• State Department of Education (SDE)
• University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)

These partners support the vision, guiding principles and the overall goals of the initiative to prevent the use of restraint and seclusion in service environments across the life span.

We recognize and respect that respective initiative partners may use different language, serve different populations, are accountable to different regulatory and accreditation organizations and have different missions. Despite those differences, the initiative partners agree on and share the following vision, guiding principles and overall goals for this Restraint and Seclusion Prevention Initiative.

Vision:

• The shared goal of the Initiative Partners is the prevention of the use of restraint and seclusion with the children, youth, and adults who receive their respective services.
• All children, youth, and adults receiving services deserve to be treated with respect and dignity at all times.
• We acknowledge that the use of restraint and seclusion can be physically injurious and psychologically traumatic for the children, youth, and adults being restrained and secluded, as well as for the staff members involved.
• We firmly believe that servies provided to children, youth, and adults should be positively focused on their strength, and based on research or evidence.
• We believe that the staff who work with children, youth, and adults must have access to all needed tools and supports. Specifically, staff must be afforded proper training and supervision, adequate staffing, and full leadership commitment to foster a positive and supportive service environment and to prevent the use of restraint and seclusion.

Guiding Principles:

• The safety of the children, youth, and adults supported by each Initiative Partner, and the staff who provide services to them, is the first priority and informs all practice and policy considerations.
• Initiative Partners and private agencies will collaborate with children, youth, adults, and their families in this Initiative. Each party brings assets to the effort that have equal importance to the success of the Initiative.
• Each Partner will implement this Initiative in a manner that is consistent with its own standards and practices, while remaining committed to the overall vision, guiding principles, and goals of the Initiative.
• The provision of training, consultation and technical support opportunities will be the shared responsibility and commitment of all Partners in the Initiative.
• All levels of the system must be afforded reasonable time and opportunities to make the changes required by any revisions of Initiative Partner regulations or policies.
• Data, research, best practice and framework of Continuous Quality Improvement informs all practice and policy changes to implemented as a result of this Initiative.
• Recommendations and strategies implemented will focus on ensuring the sustainability of change over time.

Overall Goals:

• Increase the number of settings that have implemented an organizational change strategy which promotes a culture that utilizes best practice models, including evidence-based behavioral support practices leading to the reduction in the need for the use of restraint and seclusion across settings.
• Align and/or coordinate state-wide policies and regulations regarding the use of restraint and seclusion that reflect the intent and principles of this Initiative.
• Prevent and reduce the incidents of restraint and seclusion for all individuals served in educational, treatment and other settings.
• Examine and, where appropriate, ensure that programs, facilities and schools engage individuals and their families in the development and ongoing review of behavioral support policies and practices.
• Provide resources and training for service staff to increase their capacity to implement best practice models, including evidence-based behavioral support practices, leading to the prevention and reduction of restraint and seclusion.
• Improve the educational, permanency and quality of life outcomes for children, youth and adults being served by all Initiative Partners.