During the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly, The Arc of Indiana and other advocates for people with disabilities successfully worked to enact SB 345 regarding seclusion and restraint in schools. The law established the Indiana Commission on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools, requires the commission to develop a statewide Model Seclusion and Restraint Plan, and requires the state to adopt rules to minimize or eliminate the use of seclusion and restraints in schools.
Under the law, schools may use the model plan or they may develop their own plan using some of the minimum requirements in the model plan. All school corporations in Indiana, including accredited non-public schools, must have a plan on the use of seclusion and restraint in place by July 1, 2014.
The model plan, adopted by the Indiana Commission on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools, can be viewed by visiting: Model Seclusion and Restraint Plan. A key provision of the model plan is emphasizing that seclusion and restraint are ONLY to be used as a last resort when a student presents an immediate danger to himself or others.
Public hearings on state rules on restraint and seclusion will be held throughout the state in October.