Seclusion and Restraint: An Overlooked Massacre on Mental Health

By: Beyonce Boahen

With many issues already plaguing American society like tax raises, inflation, and global warming, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to identify the smaller issues such as seclusion and restraint. Seclusion and restraint is a facility practice where staff "safely" transfer individuals into solitary rooms and use tools to limit their movements due to "extreme" violent behavior. However, many fatalities and victim stories prove that seclusion and restraint is not as safe or effective as some advertise it to be.

Many children, especially those who are disabled, have experienced this practice, including Xavier Hernandez (21). He was restrained as a result of him running outside of a classroom and later died due to asphyxiation as staff members held him down, face-first, on the floor. 

"I feel as if they killed him — there's no other way to describe it,” said Hernandez's aunt in an interview with Hearst Newspapers.

Other victims such as Cornelius Fernandez (16), Max Benson (13) died in similar ways when seclusion and restraint was used against them. Over 85 children and young adults have died as a result of this practice and even more have been injured and/or traumatized. 

“I challenge the experts to show us anywhere how this helps the behavior. How this isn’t traumatizing. Because you can’t. There is no positive thing that comes from this. It doesn't change behavior. It re-traumatizes children. And it opens them up to injuries and all other kinds of things", says Linda, a mom whose son was injured as a result of seclusion and restraint practices.

What’s even more disappointing is that the majority of instances of seclusion and restraint are undocumented and hidden not only from the general public, but also the families of the victims. 

“K, who taught English as a second language, says her school only required that she report a seclusion when a student was left alone in a room with the door held shut by an adult,” says NPR, A Dreaded Part of Teachers' Jobs: Restraining and Secluding Students.

A study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office states that several districts underreport uses of Seclusion and Restraint. The number of fatalities in reality could be more than double if undocumented seclusion and restraint involved deaths were counted. 

Even with these clear dangers coming to lifetime and time again, facilities still use the practice. Various facilities and schools claim that they have valid reasonings behind their decision.

“Seclusion or restraint is initiated only when less restrictive measures have proven ineffective, and the behavioral emergency poses serious and imminent danger to the person, staff, or others. Staff involved have been adequately trained and deemed competent to initiate these measures,” says the APNA Standards for Seclusion and Restraint.

 However, this is not always the case. Oftentimes, staff members use seclusion and restraint as a first or second measure due to the stress or annoyance they feel as caused by a situation. Furthermore, as proved by multiple fatalities, many staff members are not properly trained to use this practice in its intended form.

Though, even if practiced the right way, seclusion and restraint is still proved to be harmful and unnecessary. 

Mental Health America says, “Seclusion and restraints have no therapeutic value, cause human suffering, and frequently result in severe emotional and physical harm, and even death.” 

Seclusion and restraint can cause lasting mental effects and anxiety for victims, especially children with mental disabilities who struggle with control, leading to staff annoyance and disciplinary actions, potentially preventing recovery.

 “Thousands of times a day, students are being locked in closets and bathrooms, pinned to the ground, restrained with mechanical devices for hours, and worse. These practices are life-threatening and they’re denying students with disabilities a full and safe inclusion in our education system,” claims Robyn Linscott, the education manager at The Arc.

Schools and public facilities are supposed to provide a safe space for individuals to express themselves while learning domestic and specialized skills, but Seclusion and Restraint have been proven to be biased and ineffective.

Though unfortunate that it would develop to this point, we need to fight against this practice and protect our peers and future generations from facing the same trauma as those who came before them. The youth are the future, and we need to fight to protect our society.