Summary: 

Effective: June 24, 2021 

Last Updated: December, 2024

As of June of 2021, staff in Ohio schools are required to receive training in Positive Behavior Intervention Supports. Additionally, new limits were placed on the use of restraint and seclusion. Below is a summary of these requirements as well as information on how Safety-Care can be used to ensure the safety of all staff and students.

How Safety-Care aligns: Numerous education organizations throughout the United States and Canada rely upon QBS and our Safety-Care training to provide their staff members with the training they need to help maintain a safe and healthy environment. Safety-Care provides a comprehensive, supportive approach to incident prevention, de-escalation, and management. Your Staff will learn practical strategies for helping students that use evidence-based practices consistent with PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis).  

Safety-Care can meet the requirements of Departmental Requirements in the following ways: 

3 OH ADC 3301-35-15  

(D) General rules for restraint and seclusion.  

(1) The following practices are prohibited by student personnel under any circumstance:

1. Prone restraint;  
2. Any form of physical restraint that involves the intentional, knowing, or reckless use of any technique that:
   (i) Involves the use of pinning down a student by placing knees to the torso, head, or neck of the student;
   (ii) Uses pressure point, pain compliance, or joint manipulation techniques; or
   (iii) Otherwise involves techniques that are used to unnecessarily cause pain.  
3. Corporal punishment as defined in section 3319.41 of the Revised Code;  
4. Child endangerment, as defined in section 2919.22 of the Revised Code;  
5. Deprivation of basic needs;  
6. Seclusion or restraint of preschool children in violation of paragraph (D) of rule 3301-37-10 of the Administrative Code and this rule;  
7. Chemical restraint;
8. Mechanical restraint;  
9. Aversive behavioral interventions; and  
10. Seclusion in a locked room or area.    

How Safety-Care aligns: While Safety-Care does teach numerous physical safety procedures, the focus of our program is on de-escalation and positive behavior reinforcement. intervention strategy. Our approach stems from the use of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) that can prevent and manage challenge behavior. Safety-Care certified individuals are trained to use our Help, Prompt, and Wait strategies as early intervention procedures that effectively de-escalate potential crisis situations before any physical management is necessary.  

(2) A school district may only use physical restraint or seclusion if staff:

1. Are appropriately trained to protect the care, welfare, dignity, and safety of the student;  
2. Continually observe the student in restraint and seclusion for indications of physical or mental distress and seek immediate medical assistance if there is a concern;  
3. Use communication strategies and research-based de-escalation techniques in an effort to help the student regain control;  
4. Remove the student from physical restraint or seclusion immediately when the immediate risk of physical harm to self or others has dissipated;  
5. Conduct a de-briefing including all involved staff to evaluate the trigger for the incident, staff response, and methods to address the student’s behavioral needs; and  
6. Complete all mandatory reports and document staff’s observations of the student.  

(E) Physical restraint.  

(1) Prone restraint, including any physical restraint that obstructs the airway of the student, or any physical restraint that impacts a student’s primary mode of communication, is prohibited. A statement to this effect is to be included in the school district’s policy. Student personnel may use physical restraint only as a last resort and in accordance with local policy and the requirements of this rule.

(2) Physical restraint may be used only:  

1. If a student’s behavior poses an immediate risk of physical harm to the student or others and no other safe or effective method of intervention is available;  
   
2. If the physical restraint does not obstruct the student’s ability to breathe; 
   
3. If the physical restraint does not interfere with the student’s ability to communicate in the student’s primary language or mode of communication; and  
   
4. By student personnel who are trained in safe restraint techniques, except in the case of rare and unavoidable emergency situations when trained personnel are not immediately available.  

(3) Physical restraint may not be used for punishment or discipline or as a substitute for other less restrictive means of assisting a student in regaining control. 

How Safety-Care aligns: Safety-Care promotes the use of de-escalation prior to the use of any physical management. Physical management techniques are designed to ensure the safety of all participants and are only to be used until the situation has de-escalated. Safety-Care can be designed and taught to match local requirements regarding restraint but always focuses on the least restrictive and safest methods. All physical management techniques are role-played by trainees to ensure that they fully grasp the need for minimum restriction and full safety of all participants. Our Master Trainers verify each trainees use of these techniques in role-play, further ensuring their safe use. Each trainee must prove mastery of proper technique use before they can be certified in Safety-Care. Safety-Care prohibits the use of chemical restraints. 

(H) Training and professional development for the use of crisis management and de-escalation techniques which includes the use of restraint and seclusion.  

(1) A school district shall ensure that an appropriate number of personnel in each building are trained annually in evidence-based crisis management and de-escalation techniques, as well as the safe use of physical restraint and seclusion. The minimum training requirements are as follows:  

1. Proactive measures to prevent the use of seclusion or restraint;  
   
2. Crisis management;  
3. Documentation and communication about the restraint or seclusion with appropriate parties;  
   
4. The safe use of restraint and seclusion;  
   
5. Instruction and accommodation for age and body size diversity;  
   
6. Directions for monitoring signs of distress during and following physical control;  
   
7. Debriefing practices and procedures;  
   
8. Face-to-face training;  
   
9. Allow for a simulated experience of administering and receiving physical restraint; and 
10. Ensure that participants will demonstrate proficiency in items described in paragraphs (H) (1)(a) through (i) of this rule.  

1. The name, position, and building assignment of each person who has completed training;  
2. The name, position, and credentials of each person who has provided the training;  
3. When the training was completed; and  
4. What protocols, techniques, and materials were included in training.  

1. Identify conditions such as: where, under what conditions, with whom and why specific inappropriate behavior may occur; and  
2. Use preventative assessments that include at least the following:  
   1. A review of existing data;  
   2. Input from parents, family members, and students; and  
   3. Examination of previous and existing behavior intervention plans. interventions have been tried and have failed or are deemed inappropriate.  

How Safety-Care aligns: Safety-Care uses a Train the Trainer model allowing each district to quickly develop their own core of trainers qualified in the most current behavioral interventions and de-escalation strategies. Our Master Trainers can have up to ten (10) staff ready to train in as little as three days. Safety-Care is uniquely designed to provide trainees with the skills to assess potential crises, how de-escalate these situations, and how to respond if the situation is elevated. Our trainings are trauma-informed and focus on modifying behavior to prevent dangerous outcomes. Safety-Care is focused on encouraging positive behavior prior to the use of any other intervention strategy. Our approach stems from the use of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) that can prevent and manage challenge behavior. Safety-Care certified individuals are trained to use our Help, Prompt, and Wait strategies as early intervention procedures that effectively de-escalate potential crisis situations before any physical management is necessary. Safety-Care can be taught to all levels of school personnel, from administration down to volunteers. Additionally, our core trainings can be supplemented with unique add-on trainings focused on specific needs and professions.  Safety-Care is geared towards ensuring that all trainees are familiar with a single response system and can respond in-kind to numerous situations regardless of the professional setting.