Seclusion and Restraint Definitions

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Behavioral restraint means a "mechanical restraint" or "physical restraint" is used as an intervention when a person's behavior presents as an immediate danger to themselves or to others. It does not include restraints used for medical purposes, including, but not limited to, securing an intravenous needle or immobilizing a person for a surgical procedure, or postural restraints, or devices used to prevent injury or to improve a person's mobility and independent functioning rather than to restrict movement.

Containment means brief physical restraint of a person to gain quick control of a person displaying aggressive or agitated behavior that poses a danger to self or others.

Involuntary Emergency Medication means a medication given over the individual's objection that is immediately necessary for the preservation of life or the prevention of serious bodily harm to the individual or others, and it is impracticable to first gain consent. It is not necessary for actual harm to take place or become unavoidable prior to the administration of emergency medication.    

Mechanical restraint means the use of a mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or adjacent to the person's body that he or she cannot easily remove and that restricts the freedom of movement of all or part of a person's body or restricts normal access to the person's body, and that is used as a behavioral restraint.

Physical restraint means the use of a manual hold to restrict freedom of movement of all or part of a person's body, or to restrict normal access to the person's body, and that is used as a behavioral restraint.  Physical restraint is any staff-to-person physical contact in which the person unwillingly participates. Physical restraint does not include briefly holding a person without undue force in order to calm or comfort, or physical contact intended to gently assist a person in performing tasks or to guide or assist a person from one area to another.

Seclusion means the involuntary confinement of a person in a room or an area from which the person is physically prevented from leaving for any period, with the purpose of modifying a behavior. Seclusion does not include a "timeout," wherein a person agrees to remain in an unlocked room or area and maintains the choice to leave without fear of adverse consequences or of being placed in seclusion or restraints.

Serious injury means any significant impairment of the physical condition as determined by qualified medical personnel, and includes, but is not limited to, burns, lacerations, bone fractures, substantial hematoma, or injuries to internal organs.