Restraint Data

Background

Welfare and Institutions Code sections 4436.5 and 4659.2 require the Department of Developmental Services to publish data quarterly regarding the use of physical or chemical restraint, or both, by all regional center vendors providing residential services or supported living services, and by long-term health care facilities and acute psychiatric hospitals serving individuals with developmental disabilities. California Code of Regulations, Title 17 Section 54327 requires vendors and long-term health care facilities to report, among other incident types, incidents of reasonably suspected abuse/exploitation including physical and/or chemical restraint.

Background

Welfare and Institutions Code sections 4436.5 and 4659.2 require the Department of Developmental Services to publish data quarterly regarding the use of physical or chemical restraint, or both, by all regional center vendors providing residential services or supported living services, and by long-term health care facilities and acute psychiatric hospitals serving individuals with developmental disabilities. California Code of Regulations, Title 17 Section 54327 requires vendors and long-term health care facilities to report, among other incident types, incidents of reasonably suspected abuse/exploitation including physical and/or chemical restraint.

The Department developed and adopted Guidelines for the Use of Restraint or Containment in Enhanced Behavioral Supports Homes, as required by Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 4684.81(i)(1).

The Department developed and adopted Guidelines for Use of Restraint or Containment in Community Crisis Homes as required by Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 4698 (d)(1).

Background & Philosophy

Effective January 1, 2004, Senate Bill 130 (Chapter 750, Statutes of 2003) added Division 1.5 to the Health and Safety (H&S) Code, Section 1180.2(d) requiring the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to post on the internet specific behavioral restraint-related data from the Department’s state-operated facilities. The data provided on the following reports are intended to meet this requirement. Beginning with the March, 2006 data posting, DDS made improvements to the type and amount of data reported presenting both raw numbers (frequency and duration) as well as rate data (per 1000 resident days). Beginning with the June, 2006 posting, the changes included an increase from biannual to quarterly reporting. Some of these changes were made in response to a legislative hearing on SB 130, held in September, 2005. Interventions that restrict personal freedom and liberty constitute an infringement on individual rights, an intrusion into a person’s life, and may be stigmatizing to the recipient. Therefore, restrictive interventions that require restraint (manual, mechanical, chemical) are last resort safety procedures, used only when all other methods have been ineffective, the individual’s behavior poses an imminent risk of serious harm to themselves or others, and in a manner to protect the person’s safety, dignity, health, welfare, and civil rights. DDS seeks to continuously minimize the use of restraint, and ensure the use of alternative positive, proactive, preventive procedures.

Developmental Centers & State-Operated Community Facilities

DDS currently operates four facilities: three developmental centers (DCs) and one community facility. The DCs include Sonoma, located in Eldridge; Porterville, located in Porterville; and Fairview, located in Costa Mesa. (The last consumer moved from Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona on December 23, 2014.) Both Sonoma and Fairview serve a number of challenging consumers who are dually diagnosed (i.e., both a developmental disability and a mental disorder). Porterville includes a Secure Treatment Program, which serves up to 211 residents, and a transitional treatment program, serving no more than 60 persons. Both programs serve individuals who have been charged with a serious felony offense, found to be incompetent to stand trial (IST), and who have exhibited sophisticated challenging behaviors, many of whom are also dually diagnosed. The community facility, Canyon Springs, is located in Cathedral City. This facility serves residents who exhibit more sophisticated challenging behavior than the majority of the population served in the DC system. Most of these consumers are also dually diagnosed. NOTE: Interpretation of restraint definitions and data display has evolved over time and items are not necessarily equivalent.

Restraints Statistics


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Last modified: June 14, 2021