SPECIAL SERVICES

Dawn Pitre picture
The Avoyelles Parish School District (APSD) provides a continuum of supports and services for students with disabilities to help them access their education. Special education services are available to students with disabilities who qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each student’s program is individually determined to meet their unique needs in the least restrictive environment. Our educators are passionate about supporting students, which is translated into very rich learning environments.  Our District is committed to supporting the needs of the students and families that make up our school district. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our department.

Sincerely,

Dawn Pitre, Special Education Supervisor

Crisis Intervention

Guidelines and Procedures for Crisis Intervention and Implementing Seclusion/Restraint Techniques

The Avoyelles Parish Public School System has established the following guidelines and procedures to comply with the revised mandates of Act 479, enacted during the 2025 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. This legislation provides direction regarding crisis intervention strategies, which may include the use of positive behavioral supports, sensory rooms, or other calming spaces intentionally designed to comfort and stabilize students.  Act 479 also outlines guidelines for rare and extraordinary situations where seclusion or physical restraint may be necessary to safely de-escalate a student who presents an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others. These techniques will be employed only as a last resort and in strict accordance with Louisiana Bulletin 1706, Sections 540 through 543. 

I.   Definitions

Crisis Intervention- the implementation of an action plan for school personnel to implement when a student exhibits disruptive behaviors that prevent him from participating in classroom or daily activities.

 

Imminent Risk of Harm- an immediate and impending threat of a person causing substantial physical injury to self or others.

 

Mechanical Restraint- application of any device or object used to limit a person’s movement

 

Physical Restraint- the use of restraint techniques that involve physical force applied to restrict the movement of all or part of a person’s body.

 

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support - a systematic approach to embed evidence-based practice and data-driven decision making when addressing student behavior in order to improve school climate and culture 

 

School Employee - a teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, support staff member, or a provider of related services.

 

School Health Designee- a school employee designated to assess the use of seclusion and physical restraint in the event that a school nurse is not present on a school campus at the time such measure is used

 

Seclusion- a procedure that isolates and confines a student in a designated separate room or area until he is no longer an imminent risk of harm to self or others. 

 

Seclusion Room- a room or other confined area, used on an individual basis, in which a student is removed from the regular classroom setting for a limited time to allow the student the opportunity to regain control in a safe, secure, and supervised setting and from which the student is involuntarily prevented from leaving until he is no longer at risk of imminent harm to self or others.

 

Sensory Room- a space that is used for the monitored separation of a student in an unlocked* setting in which school personnel may use positive behavioral interventions and support to help or calm, or stabilize a student’s disruptive behavior. (also referred to as a “calming room”, “calming space”, “comfort room”, “comfort space”, sensory space”, “timeout room”, or timeout space”). 

Note: “unlocked” in this context means the student may voluntarily leave the room. It does not refer to building security protocols such as keeping classroom doors locked in accordance with Safe Schools procedures.


II. Crisis Intervention

Incedent Prevention

Effective crisis intervention begins with proactive strategies aimed at preventing incidents before they escalate.


  • Prevention efforts focus on ensuring that students' basic needs are consistently met and are supported in an organized, predictable environment. 

  • Students should have access to engaging, meaningful activities and learning opportunities that foster a sense of purpose and belonging. 

  • Staff behaviors play a critical role by interacting respectfully, promoting student dignity, and using positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviors. 

  • Students benefit from having choices rather than experiencing coercion, as autonomy supports emotional regulation and reduces power struggles.


Incident Minimization 

School employees play a critical role in preventing behavioral incidents by developing a strong understanding of each student’s individual triggers and early warning signs. These triggers may include specific environments, demands, interactions, or sensory inputs that lead to distress or dysregulation. Early signals of escalating behavior can present as subtle changes in body language, tone of voice, facial expressions, or levels of engagement.  By recognizing these early indicators, school employees can respond proactively and appropriately to minimize escalation. The following strategies and priorities should be implemented.

  • School employees should use strategies that reduce stress and anxiety, rather than unintentionally intensifying the situation. The primary objective in these moments is de-escalation, not immediate compliance. 

  • School employees should focus on calming the student, maintaining safety, and preserving their dignity to prevent the situation from worsening and support long-term behavior change.

  • School employees should prioritize building trusting relationships, creating supportive environments, and utilizing techniques that encourage cooperation and emotional regulation.

De-escalation Process

If the student displays anxiety or a noticeable increase or change in behavior, de-escalation techniques should be immediately implemented to prevent the student’s behavior from moving toward a crisis level. The de-escalation techniques listed below should be the first steps in dealing with a student exhibiting challenging behaviors.

  • Stay composed. Remain professional.

  • Convey a calm, respectful attitude. Be aware of the tone, volume, and cadence of your voice as well as non-verbal communication (e.g., gestures, facial expressions, and movements).

  • Ignore the student’s minor undesired behavior(s) and/or redirect.

  • Respect the student’s personal space. Maintain at least an arm’s length distance from the student.

  • Be aware of your body position. Avoid eye contact and toe-to-toe positions as they may be interpreted as being challenging and may increase behavior.

  • Be empathetic to the student’s feelings. Don’t judge or discount his/her feelings. Pay attention to him/her and don’t be afraid of silence.

  • Do not engage in a power struggle. When the student challenges your authority, either remain silent or redirect to the issue at hand.

  • Set and enforce reasonable limits. Give simple, clear choices and consequences. Make sure the consequences are reasonable and enforceable.

  • Allow the student to verbally vent when possible to release energy and to allow you to understand what he/she is thinking and feeling.


III.  Seclusion and Restraint

Every effort should be made to prevent the need for using seclusion or restraint techniques. Environments should be structured and focused on positive interventions and supports to greatly reduce, and in many cases eliminate, the need to use seclusion or restraint.  Seclusion and restraint should only be used when a student’s behavior presents a threat of imminent risk of harm to self or others, and only as a last resort to protect the safety of self and others.  Techniques may be implemented when the risk of not intervening is greater than the risk of intervening and to the degree necessary to stop the dangerous behavior.  Techniques must be implemented in a manner that causes no physical injury to the student, results in the least possible discomfort, does not interfere in any way with the student’s breathing or ability to communicate with others, and does not place excessive pressure on the student’s back or chest or cause asphyxia.  Seclusion and restraint must be implemented in a manner that is directly proportionate to the circumstances and to the student’s size, age, and severity of behavior.  A school employee shall continuously monitor a student who is secluded or physically restrained for the duration of such seclusion or restraint and shall release a student from seclusion and physical restraint as soon as the reasons for justifying such action have subsided. 

 

Seclusion and restraint must not be used as a form of discipline or punishment, as a threat to control, bully, or obtain behavioral compliance, or for the convenience of school personnel.  It is imperative that no school employee subject a student to unreasonable, unsafe, or unwarranted use of seclusion or restraint.  Seclusion and restraint techniques must not be used to address behaviors such as general noncompliance, self-stimulation, or academic refusal. Such behaviors must be responded to with less stringent and less restrictive techniques.  No school employee shall place a student in seclusion or restraint if he is known to have any medical or psychological condition that precludes such action, as certified by a licensed pediatrician, neurologist, or mental health provider in a written statement provided to the school in which the student is enrolled.

 

Seclusion

The seclusion of a student must take place only in a designated seclusion room that meets established safety standards to ensure the student’s physical and emotional well-being. The creation and use of a seclusion room must be formally approved in advance by the Director of Special Education before implementation.  A student may only be placed in a seclusion room by a trained school employee who uses approved methods for escorting, placing, and supervising the student. While in the seclusion room, the student must be continuously monitored, and the supervising staff member must be able to see and hear the student at all times. Only one student may occupy a seclusion room at any given time to ensure individual safety and proper supervision.

 

It is critical to understand the distinction between a Seclusion Room and a Sensory Room, as they serve fundamentally different purposes. Under no circumstances should a Sensory Room be used as a Seclusion Room. Sensory Rooms are intended to provide a calming, therapeutic environment that helps students regulate their emotions and return to a state of stability. These rooms are not to be associated with discipline, isolation, or restraint.

 

Seclusion should ONLY  be used:

  • for student behaviors that involve an imminent risk of harm to self or others

  • as a last resort, when de-escalation and other positive behavioral interventions and support attempts have failed and the student continues to pose an imminent risk of harm to self or others

  • as a last resort, if and when less restrictive crisis intervention techniques such as positive behavioral supports, constructive and non-physical de-escalation, and restructuring of a student’s environment have failed to stop a student’s actions that pose an imminent risk of harm to self or others 

 

Seclusion should NOT be used:

  • as a routine school safety, discipline, or intervention measure or to address behaviors such as general non-compliance, self-stimulation, and academic refusal, and other behaviors that, while disruptive to a classroom setting or other daily school activities, do not present an imminent risk of harm to self or others 

 

A Seclusion Room or other confined area must:

  • be free of any object that poses a danger to the student who is placed in the room

  • have an observation window allowing school personnel to see and hear the student the entire time

  • have a ceiling height and heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting system comparable to an operating classroom in the school

Physical Restraint

Physical restraint should only be used by school employees who have completed all components of the district’s adopted de-escalation & physical management program.  Annual recertification is required.  At no time should a school employee subject a student to mechanical restraints to restrict that student's freedom of movement. 


Physical Restraint should ONLY be used:

  • when a student’s behavior presents a threat of  imminent danger of serious physical harm to self or others, and only as a last resort to protect the safety of self or others 

  • to the degree necessary to stop a dangerous behavior

  • in a manner that causes no physical injury to the student, results in the least possible discomfort, and does not interfere in any way with a student’s breathing ability or ability to communicate with others

 

Physical Restraint does NOT include: 

  • consensual, solicited, or unintentional contact

  • momentary blocking of a student’s action if the student’s action is likely to result in harm to the student or any other person

  • a school employee holding a student for less than three consecutive minutes during any given hour for the protection of the student or others

  • a school employee holding a student for the purpose of calming or comforting the student, provided the student’s freedom of movement or normal access to his or her body is not restricted

  • minimal physical contact (ie, touching of the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back) for the purpose of safely escorting a student from one area to another

  • minimal physical contact for the purpose of assisting the student in completing a task or response

 

Mechanical Restraint does NOT include: 

  • any device used by a duly licensed law enforcement officer in the execution of his official duties

  • any devices implemented by trained school personnel or utilized by a student that have been prescribed by an appropriate medical or related service professional and are used for the specific and approved purposes for which such devices were designed, such as:

    • adaptive devices or mechanical supports used to achieve proper body position, balance, or alignment to allow greater freedom of mobility than would be possible without the use of such devices or mechanical supports

    • vehicle safety restraints when used as intended during the transport of a student in a moving vehicle

    • restraints for medical immobilization

    • orthopedically prescribed devices that permit a student to participate in activities without risk of harm

 

IV.   Written Notification and Reporting

The principal or his designee shall notify each parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled at the school with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) of the prohibition of the use of seclusion and restraint if the student has a condition that precludes such action, as certified by a licensed pediatrician, neurologist, or mental health provider in a written statement provided to the school in which the student is enrolled.  This notification is included in our Guidelines and Procedures for Crisis Intervention and Implementing Seclusion/Restraint Techniques, provided to parents of students with disabilities at the beginning of each school year and on the Prior Written Notice for the student’s IEP meeting.  IEP teams will discuss and document this discussion in the IEP.  A student who has been placed in seclusion or has been restrained shall be monitored continuously, and monitoring shall be documented on the Report of Seclusion/Restraint.

 

Immediately Following Implementation of Seclusion or Physical Restraint:  

  • The school employee involved in the seclusion or restraint must immediately notify the school principal.

  • The school principal must immediately notify the Director of Special Education of the student secluded or restrained, personnel involved, and the location of restraint.

    • The school principal or his designee should review video and audio footage, if available, to ensure that policies and proper techniques were followed during the incident.  

    • The school administrator shall notify the parent or legal guardian of the student via a phone call as soon as is practicable, but no later than the end of the same school day.

  • A school nurse or school health designee shall assess the student as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the same school day, to look for and document any signs of injury or distress.

  • A school employee who secluded or physically restrained a student shall document and report the incident on the Physical Restraint and Hold Form. The employee shall submit the Physical Restraint and Hold Form to the principal by the end of the school day .  A copy of this form must also be sent  home to the parent within 24 hours as documentation of parent notification of seclusion/restraint.  If  the seclusion or restraint occurs on a Friday, the letter must be completed and sent to the parent by the end of the day on Friday.

  • The principal or designee must provide the Report of Seclusion/Restraint and Hold form  to the  Director of Special Education and Administrator of Student Services at the same time the parent is provided a copy (within 24 hours of incident).

 

V. Response to Seclusion or Restraint

 

Individualized Education Plan/Behavior Intervention Plan

The IEP team must address the behaviors that prompted the seclusion/restraint in the student’s IEP and BIP.  If a student is involved in three incidents in a school year involving the use of seclusion or physical restraint as a result of posing an imminent risk of harm to self or others, his Individualized Education Plan team shall:

  • implement the Behavior Support Process (for students who do not have a BIP)

  • conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

    • The School Psychologist and/or  School Social Worker, Behavior Interventionist, and/or the Instructional staff assigned to the student’s school shall actively participate in the FBA. 

  • review, revise, or develop a Behavior Intervention Plan, including any crisis intervention plans, to include any appropriate and necessary behavioral supports

  • prioritize the use of positive interventions and support

 

If the student's challenging behavior continues to escalate, requiring repeated seclusion or restraint practices, the Special Education Director or designee shall review the student's IEP and BIP at least every three weeks.

 

VI. School & District Responsibilities

  • Schools will include the Guidelines and Procedures for Crisis Intervention and Implementing Seclusion/Restraint Techniques in the student handbook

  • A list of personnel trained in Handle with Care will be kept at each school site and the district office.

  • Reported incidents of seclusion/restraint will be entered into the LDOE database by the Special Education Director or designee.

  • Prior to the beginning of the school year, the Guidelines and Procedures for Crisis Intervention and Implementing Seclusion/Restraint Techniques shall be:

  • provided to all school employees  and every parent or legal guardian of a student with a disability

  • posted on the district's website 

  • submitted annually to the Special Education Advisory Council 



Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP)