The newly established Pennsylvania Project of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) invites parents, educators, advocates, and community members to join the fight to end the harmful use of seclusion and restraint in schools and youth facilities across the state. This new pilot project aims to develop legislative recommendations to strengthen restraint and seclusion laws across Pennsylvania.

Across Pennsylvania, too many children and young adults experience the trauma of seclusion and restraint in schools and facilities meant to support them. Seclusion and restraint practices, often used on children and young adults with disabilities or behavioral challenges, have been shown to cause serious physical and emotional harm. These practices are not just ineffective; they are traumatic, dangerous, and deeply unjust. Every time a child is isolated or restrained, their dignity, trust, and emotional safety are put at risk. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The practice of restraint and seclusion remains a serious safety and human rights concern, especially for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania schools. The use of physical restraint has led to injuries, trauma, and fatalities despite federal guidance discouraging their use except in imminent danger involving serious physical harm. Specialized private schools in Pennsylvania are exempt from legislative protections, raising additional concerns about the safety of vulnerable students in those settings.

Under current law, the use of seclusion should be prohibited in Pennsylvania schools, though it still occurs and often goes unreported. In many cases, agencies responsible for investigating reports of abuse involving restraint and seclusion find in favor of the school districts, despite obvious evidence of physical and psychological harm to a child. Parents often lack the financial means to fight school districts when their child is being harmed, so these cases are frequently swept under the rug or settled outside the court process.

In Pennsylvania, a comprehensive 26-year study examining fatalities among children due to physical or mechanical restraints from 1993 to 2018 found that seven children died as a result of restraint in the state. Pennsylvania had the second-highest death count in the country on this issue, with the number more than double the average death count in other states. Nationally, at least 85 children and young adults under 21 have died after being restrained or secluded in schools, juvenile justice centers, and residential treatment facilities.

The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending these harmful practices and promoting trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, neurodiversity-affirming, relationship-driven, and collaborative approaches in education and care. AASR is committed to advocating for compassionate alternatives that protect the dignity and safety of all students.

Now, an AASR Pennsylvania Project is forming to bring this vital work closer to home, and we need your voice. This project brings this mission to Pennsylvania, uniting parents, educators, advocates, and professionals to push for positive change in our schools and communities. We envision a Pennsylvania where every student, regardless of ability or disability, can learn, grow, and thrive without fear. A place where compassion replaces control, and understanding replaces punishment.

Our goal is to unite parents, educators, self-advocates, and community members to promote safe, compassionate, and trauma-informed alternatives. Together, we can influence policy, support legislative change, share resources, and help schools and organizations adopt positive behavior supports that protect every individual’s dignity and rights.

Whether you’re a family member, professional, or concerned citizen, your participation can make a difference. By joining, you’ll be part of a supportive network committed to creating safer schools, inclusive communities, and a future where every person is treated with respect. Change happens when people come together. When families share their stories, when educators speak out, and when communities stand united, systems begin to shift.

You’re not just signing up for another group. You’re lending your voice to a growing movement that believes in the power of safe, inclusive, and respectful environments for every person. Together, we’ll share stories, educate communities, advocate for better legislation, and stand up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves. If you believe that safety and dignity should never be negotiable, we invite you to stand with us. Together, we can change hearts, minds, and policies and build a future where no one is unnecessarily restrained or left alone in a locked room.

You do not have to be alone when fighting for your child’s right to be safe at school. By joining this group, you will make meaningful connections with other like-minded parents and professionals. You will learn ways to advocate and support your child.

Every voice matters. Every story matters. Together, we can ensure every student is treated with dignity, safety, and respect. To get involved or learn more, fill out the sign-up form and add your voice to this growing movement for change.

📣 Join the Pennsylvania Project of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint today and help advocate for safer schools for our kids in our state. 

The Pennsylvania Project aims to:

• Advocate for stronger statewide laws and policies strictly regulating restraint across Pennsylvania’s schools, treatment facilities, and institutions.
• Advocate for changes in state law to end the use of seclusion and dangerous forms of restraint in public and private schools.
• Promote education and training on trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, neurodiversity-affirming, relationship-driven, and collaborative alternatives to restraint and seclusion.
• Amplify the voices of affected survivors, families, and caregivers.
• To advocate for policy change that protects rights and promotes safe, inclusive environments for everyone.

If you are interested in joining the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint’s Pennsylvania Project, please complete this sign-up form.