The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), TASH, and The Alliance to Prevent Restraint, Aversive Interventions and Seclusion (APRAIS), in conjunction with the Congressional Black Caucus Education & Labor Taskforce, sponsored a congressional briefing on June 24 on the detrimental effects of restraint and seclusion in schools. Filmmaker Dan Habib shared an excerpt from his film, Restraint and Seclusion: Hear Our Stories.  Panelists described their personal experiences with restraint and seclusion and voiced their support for the Keeping All Students Safe Act (S.2036 / H.R. 1893), bills introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative George Miller (D-CA) to set minimum federal standards.  These bills would ensure that children in all states are given equal protection from dangerous practices and create a cultural shift toward preventive, positive intervention strategies.  This event kicked off a series of meetings with Congressional offices, in which The Arc is participating, in support of the bills.  To learn more and view the complete film, please visit Stop Hurting Kids.

(Info from Capital Insider Newsletter 6-30-14)