Org Wants to Minimize Restraint, Seclusion

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) sent a letter to Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking her for stricter demands on restraint and seclusion.  The IACC would like her to collaborate with federal education and the justice administration on the suspect use of restraint and seclusion in schools and other areas. The committee hopes the Obama administration will assist in helping with this practice for people with physical/mental challenges.

More particularly, the IACC wants Sebelius to establish guidelines on restraint and seclusion.  In addition, they want her to collect more information on the issue.  Finally, they hope she will work with the Obama administration to organize other methods for restraint and seclusion.

“The use of seclusion and restraint in every setting is a critical issue for people with (autism) and other disabilities and their families that requires immediate federal attention,” the IACC letter reads.

The IACC is a consultative group created in 2006.  It consists of government members and people of the autism community.  The organization gives ideas to federal agencies and creates importance for research regarding autism.

Activism letter:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2011/09/08/panel-feds-restraint/13901/