Use of Restraints, Time-Out, and Seclusion

Use of Restraints, Time-Out, and Seclusion A. All agency providers are prohibited from the use of mechanical restraints, chemical restraints, and physical restraints. Chapter 12 covers employees who are required to be trained and certified in a nationally recognized and DMH-approved technique for managing aggressive or risk-to-self behaviors to include verbal and physical de-escalation. DMH does not consider the proper implementation of this training by employees currently certified accordingly as being classified as use of physical restraint for the prevention or mitigation of harm to self or others for the purpose of this rule. B. Agency providers are prohibited from the use of time-out and seclusion except for certified Crisis Residential Services, as outlined in Chapter 19. Seclusion means a behavior control technique involving locked isolation. Time-out, in this context, is a behavioral management technique which involves temporarily removing a person under the age of 18 from a reinforcing environment or activity after displaying unwanted behaviors. Placement during time-out should be in a non-locked room. Seclusion and time-out should be implemented only when approved and ordered by a licensed practitioner, acting in accordance with the practitioner’s scope of practice.