PADDED CELL?

PADDED CELL?
National Disability Rights Network Report- School Is Not Supposed to Hurt

SECLUSION ROOM OR QUIET ROOM?

SECLUSION ROOM OR QUIET ROOM?
EAST GOSHEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA

TO BE PRONE OR NOT TO BE PRONE? THAT IS THE QUESTION.

TO BE PRONE OR NOT TO BE PRONE? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
Abbie was Restrained 14 times in one day for noncompliance issues

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION COST TOO MUCH! RESTRAIN HIM IN THE RIFTON CHAIR INSTEAD.

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION COST TOO MUCH! RESTRAIN HIM IN THE RIFTON CHAIR INSTEAD.
CCIU/EAST BRADFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WEST CHESTER, PA.

QUIET ROOM OR CELL?

QUIET ROOM OR CELL?
NAA: The Restraint and Prevention Symposium

ABUSE IS ABUSE, REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS

ABUSE IS ABUSE, REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS
Man Arrested For Abusing His Autistic Son

WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND FAMILIES AGAINST RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION

The abuse of children at the hands of school personnel has risen over the last two decades and the nation is outraged. The children most likely to be abused are children with disabilities. Children who are poor and homeless are not excluded from the abuse.

The abuse presents itself in various forms -restraints, seclusion, suffocation, and sometimes even death. Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation found hundreds of allegations that children have been abused and some have died as a result of the misuses of restraints and seclusion in public and private schools, often by untrained staff. United States representatives George Miller and Cathy McMorris Rodgers introduced the "Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in School Act" (HR 4247) and senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut introduced it's sister bill, (S. 2860). This legislation is the first national effort to address the problem and ensure the safety of students and school staff.

The abuse of a child in school can easily escalate into retaliation against the parent(s), caretaker(s), or advocate. Retaliation can include the denial educational services, the denial of a child to attend school, an illegal eviction from your residence, neglect and abuse charges filed against you by the school, a loss of employment, removal of the child from the caretaker by child protective services, false charges against the parent, caregiver, or advocate that can lead to an arrest, etc.

We must stop asking, "What are they (everyone else) going to do about the abuse of our nation's children?" While the rest of America sits blind, not necessarily their fault, they are under the assumption that their tax dollars are paying for an education without abuse, restraints, seclusion, or retaliation. American citizens believe that when they send their children to school, they will be safe, not abused or killed by school personnel.

It is our belief that all children are entitled to a free, appropriate, and SAFE education in the public and private school system, as specified under IDEA. We need your support in effecting change within the system.

Thank you!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

AUTISM INSURANCE REFORM LEGISLATION IN RHODE ISLAND

Autism Insurance Reform Legislation is Moving Forward in Rhode Island!

House Bill 7260, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, sponsored by Representatives Peter Palumbo, Eileen Naughton, Arthur Corvese, J. Russell Jackson and David Caprio would require health insurers to cover the diagnosis and medically necessary treatment of autism spectrum disorder. With fifteen states already requiring health insurers to cover medically necessary autism treatment across the country, and more than twenty currently moving forward with similar legislation, it is time for autism insurance reform to become a reality in Rhode Island.

Numerous advocates and autism organizations have worked to bring this autism insurance legislation to this point. Nevertheless, there is still a great deal of work to be done to ensure the success of HB 7260. Stakeholders and legislators from all over the state remain critical to the momentum HB 7260.

Rhode Island Families Against Restraint and Seclusion showed a presence today at the hearings at the State House in Providence, along with other advocates for health bill reform- Joanne Quinn from The Autism Project, Attorney Lorri Unumb from Autism Speaks, Susan Constable, director of RIDE's R.I. Technical Assistance Project-Autism Support Center, and Nicole Katzman from the Bureau of Jewish Education of Rhode Island. Irwin Jacobowitz of RI FARS and his two children, Dakota and Montana, spoke at today's hearing in support of the bill. RI FARS is aware that children on the Autism Spectrum requires positive behavioral interventions which could be very costly for families. Families should not have to worry about the cost of positive behavioral treatments for their child. If children on the autism spectrum receive positive behavioral interventions from an early age, schools should be less inclined to use restraints and seclusion. Mr. Jacobowitz stated, "Children should no longer have to be unnecessarily restrained or placed in seclusion, because society failed to provide necessary positive behavioral interventions due to cost."

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Summary of the Rhode Island Autism Insurance Reform Bill:
House Bill 7260 - Sponsored by State Representative Peter Palumbo
Would require health insurance companies to provide coverage of the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.

Coverage of treatments will be provided when prescribed, provided, or ordered for an individual diagnosed with autism by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary.

Under this bill, health insurance companies would be required to provide coverage of the following:

Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders - meaning medically necessary assessment, evaluations, or tests to diagnose whether an individual has one of the autism spectrum disorders;

Habilitative or rehabilitative care - meaning professional counseling, and guidance services and treatment programs, including applied behavior analysis that are necessary to develop, maintain and restore the functioning of an individual to the extent possible;

Psychiatric care;

Psychological care;

Therapeutic care - meaning services provided by licensed or certified speech, occupational, or physical therapist;

There are no age caps;

There will be no dollar, or number of visit limitations on covered treatments;

The bill does not affect any obligation to provide services to an individual under an individualized family service plan, an individualized education program (IEP), or an individualized services plan;

The bill applies only to state regulated insurance plans. It does not apply to self-funded insurance plans as these plans are regulated by the federal government under ERISA law;

If passed, this bill will apply to plans issued or renewed immediately.
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