206-42 Wyo. Code R. §§ 42-3 - Definitions

(a) "Administrative Review" is when an administrator or other appointed-personnel, who have received training in the use of physical restraint and seclusion, shall determine whether continued physical restraint or seclusion is necessary to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others. Upon a determination that such continued physical restraint or seclusion is necessary, such individual shall make a new determination every thirty minutes thereafter regarding whether such physical restraint or seclusion is necessary to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others.

(b) "Appropriate Disciplinary Measures" includes classroom, school-wide, or district-wide plans for student conduct adopted pursuant to a school policy promulgated under the authority of W.S. 21-4-308 or other appropriate authority.

(c) "Appropriately Trained Professional" or "Professional Team" includes individuals who are appropriately licensed, trained, and knowledgeable regarding the acceptable use of assistive or protective devices consistent with recognized professional standards and manufacturers' instructions.

(d) "Assistive or Protective Device" means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child or protect a child from harm.

(e) "Aversive" means an intervention that is intended to induce pain or discomfort to a student for the purpose of eliminating or reducing maladaptive behaviors.

(f) "Behavior Intervention" is a systematic implementation of procedures developed in conjunction with the parent intended to result in lasting positive changes in a student's behavior. Interventions may include positive strategies, program or curricular modifications, and aids and supports required to address the disruptive behaviors.

(g) "Debriefing Process" The debriefing session provides an opportunity to discuss the circumstances resulting in the use of physical restraint and/or seclusion. The district may conduct a review of the factors that precipitated the event, the de-escalation techniques used, the physical restraint technique(s) utilized, the outcome of the intervention, including any injuries to student(s) or staff that may have resulted from the incident, prior incidents of physical restraint or seclusion utilized with this student, and any other relevant factors that the district deems appropriate.

(h) "Escort" means guiding a student by touching the student's back, arm, or hand, or holding the student's arm or hand to escort the student safely from one area to another as long as the student is not refusing to comply with the escort. The term does not include the use of coercion or force to move a student from one location to another.

(i) "Evidence Based Training Program" includes programs that are externally developed and have a record of successful implementation in a variety of settings that, at a minimum, emphasize training in de-escalation procedures, the specific techniques used in safe restraint ranging from the least to most restrictive and the specific techniques to encourage the safe reentry of the student into the educational environment.

(j) "Imminent Risk" means an immediate and impending threat of a person causing substantial physical injury to self or others.

(k) "Isolating" means visually, auditorally, or physically separating a student from the learning environment, school activity, or peers.

(l) "Locked Seclusion" means a seclusion room with locking device that is engaged by leverage of an inanimate object, key, or other mechanism to keep the door closed without constant human contact. The term does not include a securing mechanism requiring constant human contact that upon release immediately permits the door to be opened from the inside.

(m) "Mechanical Restraints" include devices or equipment used to restrict the free movement of all or a portion of a student's body. The term does not include assistive or protective devices or equipment prescribed by an appropriately trained professional or professional team that are used for the specific and approved purposes for which the devices or equipment were designed and prescribed.

(n) "Prohibited Practices" means that certain activities or objects are prohibited from being used with students under any circumstances

(o) "Prone Restraints" include holding a student in any position that will:

(i) Obstruct a student's airway or impair the ability to breathe;

(ii) Obstruct a staff member's view of a student's face;

(iii) Restrict a student's ability to communicate distress;

(iv) Place pressure on a student's head, neck, or torso; or

(v) Straddle a student's torso

(p) "Restraint" means the use of physical force, with or without the use of any device or material, to restrict the free movement of all or a portion of a student's body. Restraint does not include comforting or calming a student, holding the hand or arm of a student to escort the student if the student is complying, intervening in a fight, or using an assistive or protective device prescribed by an appropriately trained professional or professional team.

(q) "Seclusion" means removing a student from a classroom or other school activity and isolating the student in a separate area. Seclusion occurs when a student is placed in a room or location by school personnel, purposefully separated from peers, and prevented from leaving that location. Separation in an area where the student is prevented from leaving is always considered seclusion. The term does not include a student requested break or in-school suspension, detention, or other appropriate disciplinary measure.

(i) "Seclusion from the Learning Environment" means visually or auditorally isolating the student from the classroom or other school activity or away from peers in an area that obstructs the student's ability to participate in regular classroom or school activities.

(ii) "Isolation Room" means placing the student in an enclosed room built in compliance with all relevant health and safety codes.

(r) "Time-out" means providing the student with a brief opportunity to regain self-control in a setting that does not physically remove the student from peers or the learning environment and the student is now physically prevented from having the time-out area.

Notes

206-42 Wyo. Code R. §§ 42-3

Amended, Eff. 7/13/2017.