CA Health & Safety Code Section 1180.2

(a)

This section shall apply to the state hospitals operated by the State Department of State Hospitals and facilities operated by the State Department of Developmental Services that utilize seclusion or behavioral restraints.

(b)

The State Department of State Hospitals and the State Department of Developmental Services shall develop technical assistance and training programs to support the efforts of facilities described in subdivision (a) to reduce or eliminate the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints in those facilities.

(c)

Technical assistance and training programs should be designed with the input of stakeholders, including clients and direct care staff, and should be based on best practices that lead to the avoidance of the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1)

Conducting an intake assessment that is consistent with facility policies and that includes issues specific to the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints as specified in Section 1180.4.

(2)

Utilizing strategies to engage clients collaboratively in assessment, avoidance, and management of crisis situations in order to prevent incidents of the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints.

(3)

Recognizing and responding appropriately to underlying reasons for escalating behavior.

(4)

Utilizing conflict resolution, effective communication, deescalation, and client-centered problem solving strategies that diffuse and safely resolve emerging crisis situations.

(5)

Individual treatment planning that identifies risk factors, positive early intervention strategies, and strategies to minimize time spent in seclusion or behavioral restraints. Individual treatment planning should include input from the person affected.

(6)

While minimizing the duration of time spent in seclusion or behavioral restraints, using strategies to mitigate the emotional and physical discomfort and ensure the safety of the person involved in seclusion or behavioral restraints, including input from the person about what would alleviate his or her distress.

(7)

Training in conducting an effective debriefing meeting as specified in Section 1180.5, including the appropriate persons to involve, the voluntary participation of the person who has been in seclusion or behavioral restraints, and strategic interventions to engage affected persons in the process. The training should include strategies that result in maximum participation and comfort for the involved parties to identify factors that lead to the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints and factors that would reduce the likelihood of future incidents.

(d)

(1)The State Department of State Hospitals and the State Department of Developmental Services shall take steps to establish a system of mandatory, consistent, timely, and publicly accessible data collection regarding the use of seclusion and behavioral restraints in facilities described in this section. It is the intent of the Legislature that data be compiled in a manner that allows for standard statistical comparison.

(2)

The State Department of State Hospitals and the State Department of Developmental Services shall develop a mechanism for making this information publicly available on the Internet.

(3)

Data collected pursuant to this section shall include all of the following:

(A)

The number of deaths that occur while persons are in seclusion or behavioral restraints, or where it is reasonable to assume that a death was proximately related to the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints.

(B)

The number of serious injuries sustained by persons while in seclusion or subject to behavioral restraints.

(C)

The number of serious injuries sustained by staff that occur during the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints.

(D)

The number of incidents of seclusion.

(E)

The number of incidents of use of behavioral restraints.

(F)

The duration of time spent per incident in seclusion.

(G)

The duration of time spent per incident subject to behavioral restraints.

(H)

The number of times an involuntary emergency medication is used to control behavior, as defined by the State Department of State Hospitals.

(e)

A facility described in subdivision (a) shall report each death or serious injury of a person occurring during, or related to, the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints. This report shall be made to the agency designated in subdivision (i) of Section 4900 of the Welfare and Institutions Code no later than the close of the business day following the death or injury. The report shall include the encrypted identifier of the person involved, and the name, street address, and telephone number of the facility.