Transcript Highlights:

• we've made recently related to seclusion and restraint, we did implement a seclusion-restraint consult
• So we've... ...one-to-ones with patients in seclusion and restraint.
• And I can tell you, since I've been here, when we see some of the in seclusion, in particular, coming
• We've made this mandatory reporting leadership reviews, seclusion and restraint data every day.
• You'd mentioned that as a quality metric, as well as seclusion, and there was great data around seclusion

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The joint Senate and House Behavioral Health committees held an informational meeting focused first on the Oregon State Hospital (OSH). OHA Director Sajal Hathi introduced the hospital’s incoming permanent superintendent, Sean Murphy, and praised interim superintendent Jim Deagle for stabilizing operations, restoring CMS compliance, and helping drive a culture change centered on safety, accountability, and transparency. Deagle and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amit Bavon described OSH’s role as the state’s highest-level forensic psychiatric hospital, the patient populations it serves, its partnerships with courts, counties, jails, hospitals, and advocates, and recent leadership changes across the hospital. They also reported improved accreditation and regulatory status, including Joint Commission accreditation and CMS compliance, and said the hospital is now using daily safety huddles, incident review meetings, stronger escalation procedures, and revised seclusion/restraint practices to reduce risk and improve oversight. Members pressed hospital leaders on past seclusion practices, asking how prolonged seclusions could have occurred under federal standards. Leaders said they could not explain past decisions but emphasized that current leadership has changed processes, training, reporting, and oversight so that seclusion and restraint are reviewed in real time and cannot be normalized. Questions also covered staffing, falls, and future planning. OSH said it is generally staffed to budget, though it still has RN and mental health technician vacancies and is working on recruitment, training, and better staffing distribution. Hathi said the hospital is building a public dashboard with key performance and safety metrics, including workforce data, and described the long-term goal as a consistently safe, disciplined, high-functioning institution that responds quickly to mistakes and remains accountable to the public. The committee then shifted to an informational overview of civil commitment. Oregon Judicial Department representative Chanah Newell explained the civil commitment process, including who can initiate it, the role of community mental health providers and courts, the five-day timeline to hearing, and the standards for danger to self, danger to others, and inability to meet basic needs. She summarized changes made in House Bill 2005, including revised statutory language and new provisions allowing a second diversion period, but cautioned that the data are too early to show clear trends. Testimony from NAMI Oregon’s Chris Bonif and psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Lopez argued that Oregon still relies too heavily on jails and state hospital commitments because the broader community system lacks enough treatment, housing, and less restrictive alternatives. They urged the legislature to focus on upstream services, supported housing, and possible outpatient commitment tools so people can receive treatment before reaching crisis. The meeting ended with acknowledgment that additional reports and follow-up discussions are expected, including on residential treatment capacity and related behavioral health system reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill to amend the law to clearly define what restraint and seclusion are and are not.
• Seclusion. It is still allowed.
• However, seclusion without line of sight to the child or the student is prohibited.
• It requires continuous supervision when seclusion is used. It clearly defines.
• It also ensures Families receive timely communication when restraint or seclusion occurs.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It offers a better understanding of what restraint and seclusion are and what they are not.
• false binaries: restraint and seclusion or teachers get hurt, restraint and seclusion or teachers leave
• Seclusion and restraint have had a deeply harmful impact on my 11-year-old son.
• The last three years of school, repeated restraint and seclusion at school caused him to internalize
• This is another thing: physical restraint or seclusion shall only be used by school employees who are

Bills: SB106, SB171, SB179

Keywords: graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, education, documentary, historical figure, Padre Antonio Jose Martinez, Northern New Mexico State School, SB179, Senate Bill 179, UNM, University of New Mexico, medical Spanish, Spanish-language curriculum, health sciences, health professions education, language access, bilingual healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• Restraint or seclusion lasting more than Restraint or seclusion lasting more than 30<02:36:24.000>
• a secure residence for seclusion a secure residence for seclusion or<02:37:39.160> to<02:
• K, the specific types of the seclusion K, the specific types of the seclusion or<02:38:51.560> physical
• , contract regarding restraint, seclusion, contract regarding restraint, seclusion, or<02:39:34.440
• on seclusion. on seclusion.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we looked at a number seclusion.
• this issue of restraints and seclusion this issue of restraints and seclusion is<00:19:43.280>
• , some school restraints and seclusions, some school restraints and seclusions, it's<00:19:58.640
• c> and<00:20:06.720> seclusion<00:20:07.200> reports review restraint and seclusion
• No one wants to do seclusion and restraint, just like Miss Massio said.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second piece of the project is around monitoring and random audits of restraint and seclusion.
• And the second kind of chunk of it is around restraint and seclusion.
• some changes to law over the last number of years, changing definitions and such on restraint and seclusion
• place, and train staff, and how implementable they are, etc., to avoid and reduce restraint and seclusion
• sorts of things in Connecticut that have helped reduce the reliance or the use of restraint and seclusion

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the May minutes and then moved into administrative updates on several 2025 legislative workstreams. Staff reported progress on two marketing efforts tied to the youth mental health crisis: one focused on increasing awareness and use of urgent crisis centers, and another broader crisis-continuum campaign led by United Way. Both projects are refining materials based on working-group feedback and aim to have materials ready before the start of the school year. Updates were also given on the UCC private insurance review and the crisis continuum review, both of which are gathering data and reconvening working groups over the summer. The main discussion centered on a Civic Solutions Group update on Medicaid school billing. The contractor explained that the project is examining why Connecticut schools are not billing for behavioral health and related services, with the goal of maximizing federal reimbursement. Members clarified that the study is about schools billing for services, not private providers billing in schools. Questions focused on whether Medicaid has caps or authorization issues when students receive services both in school and in the community, and whether recent federal or state changes affect billing. The contractor said the work is still in data collection and analysis, and that some issues, such as reauthorization procedures, were outside his scope. Participants also raised concerns about perceived barriers, fee-for-service limitations, and the need to distinguish school-based billing from provider billing. A second major presentation came from Disability Rights Connecticut on a separate legislative study concerning behavioral health issues affecting students receiving special education. The subgroup is examining the feasibility and impact of requiring evidence-based interventions, especially for challenging behaviors that can lead to restraint and seclusion, and is also looking at monitoring and random audits of restraint and seclusion practices. The team described its project plan, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and data requests from the State Department of Education and other stakeholders. Members emphasized that the work is aimed primarily at private providers under the statute, but may have broader relevance. Questions from the group focused on whether the study would include public schools, how evidence-based practices apply to students with intellectual disabilities and autism, and whether caregivers or parents would be interviewed; the presenters said caregiver input is not currently part of the charge. The meeting ended with reminders about the July 15 meeting, which will include a Solnit briefing, and a note that August TCB meetings will not be held, though a workshop on the Connecticut Children’s Behavioral Health Provider Survey is being planned for late July or early August.

Transcript Highlights:

• ...or seclusion. Is that correct, Mr. Speaker, gentlelady? Mr.
• Physical restraint or seclusion, lines 14 through 17. Mr.
• Can you tell me a little bit more about the practice of seclusion?
• But that's an example of seclusion that is okay.
• I'm curious as to what this has to do with seclusion and restraint.

Bills: HB111, HB103, HB60, HB108, HB120, HB145, HB154, HB164, HB291, HJR6, HR1, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB38, HB47, HB63, HB64, HB127, HB165, HB184, HB200, HM20, HM51

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:42:51.520> seclusion<03:42:52.040> means<03:42:52.600> exactly as seclusion
• seclusion means exactly as seclusion seclusion means exactly what<03:42:53.040> it<03:42:53.199
• in the um restraint and seclusion in the um restraint and seclusion pilot<03:44:21.080> um
• seclusion seclusion room<03:54:23.720> um<03:54:24.479> it<03:54:24.600> was<03
• end result of restraint and seclusion end result of restraint and seclusion they<04:21:01.680>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 184, which would create a committee to study changing school start times. Members discussed Amendment 0394, which made the study committee’s duties more investigative and adjusted reporting recipients, including the Governor. Several members raised questions about whether the committee should review evidence-based studies, local district decisions, and existing district reports; supporters said the amendment would better allow the committee to gather information and recognize local control. The amendment passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Representative Litchfield noted that no one had testified in opposition and encouraged the future study committee to review an Oyster River School District report on school start times. The committee then took up House Bill 394, concerning cooperative school district budget committees and board member representatives. Amendment 0476 was adopted 17-0 after discussion that it clarified the bill’s language and reflected work with the School Boards Association. The committee then voted OTPA on the bill, which also passed 17-0. House Bill 738, requiring background checks for employees and volunteers at certain non-public schools or education service providers receiving public funds, was moved inexpedient to legislate. Supporters said the bill would create practical and legal problems for private citizens and homeschooling families, and the motion passed 15-2 with no minority report, placing the bill on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 235, which would amend the educator code of ethics and conduct to add responsibilities to parents. Supporters argued parents should be explicitly included in the code, while opponents said parents were already covered in existing ethics language and statute. The bill passed narrowly, 9-8. The committee then returned to House Bill 532 on alternate dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Amendment 0480H clarified that different rules would apply separately to neutral conference, mediation, and IEP facilitation; it passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Finally, the committee moved to House Bill 564, concerning adoption of school administrative unit budgets, and voted to retain the bill for further review because members said there was still confusion about how it would apply to single-district and multi-district SAUs.

Transcript Highlights:

• :07.440> seclusion<00:37:07.920> room<00:37:08.720> and<00:37:08.800> so<
• the intermediate schools had seclusion the intermediate schools had seclusion rooms<00:37:22.560
• We can prevent the need for restrictive procedures and seclusion.
• Valerie Bo to come on up too, because in Intermediate District 287 we do not have seclusion rooms.
• <00:42:11.400> rooms to learn about these seclusion rooms to learn about these seclusion rooms

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In order to restrain and do seclusion.
• It is use seclusion and restraint.
• >> In order to restrain and do seclusion.
• >> In order to restrain and do seclusion.
• restraint and seclusion, safer practices for<01:45:06.960> patients.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began as a Committee of Conference on House Bill 194, but the discussion quickly centered on whether to remove an attached bill, 504, because of concerns about a possible fee or tax and a House rule issue. Members debated the procedural posture of the bill, whether the House version had been non-concurred, and whether the conference committee could still resolve the issue by adopting the House amendment or reconsidering the non-concur. The exchange became tense, with one side warning that failing to pass the measure could jeopardize a linked rural health transformation grant worth about $20 million. The committee ultimately recessed without resolving the 194/504 dispute and planned to return the next day. The committee then opened conference on House Bill 609, which dealt with use-of-force/self-defense language and restraint/seclusion authority in health care settings. On the self-defense portion, House members argued strongly for restoring vehicle language, saying people should be able to defend themselves in a car the same way they can in a home, especially in carjacking or assault situations where no weapon is displayed. Senate members expressed concern about expanding deadly-force protections too broadly and suggested narrowing the language to focus on imminent harm to the person, not property, while also questioning where the provision should be placed in statute. The second major topic in HB 609 was who may order restraint or seclusion in clinical settings. House members argued that physicians are not always immediately available, especially in hospitals and emergency settings, and that APRNs and physician associates should be able to act in crises if properly trained and credentialed. Senate members raised concerns about scope of practice and asked whether the language implied patient consent was required; the Senate side explained that consent language was intended to address capacity and informed decision-making, not to require voluntary consent to restraint. The discussion ended with the sides still apart, though the Senate floated a compromise allowing physician associates to order restraint when no doctor is physically on the premises, while not yet extending that authority to APRNs. The committee took a short break to continue negotiations on the firearm/self-defense piece.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is our seclusion data.
• So we actually have one of the lower rates of seclusion for any. State hospital.
• , that's... that's who they are, but of the people who do use seclusion, we are at one of the.
• The other one didn't have a seclusion room, so.
• I just said a few minutes ago that we don't use seclusion a lot, which is true, but when you need it,

Transcript Highlights:

• A bill to address restraint and seclusion would clarify some definitions around restraint, very clearly
• define what kinds of restraint are prohibited, as well as prohibiting seclusion.
• Better defining what seclusion is while still allowing school districts and charter schools to have the
• Restraint and seclusion is the last one I'll mention that was the product.
• So restraint and seclusion is another example of a Bill that actually has a lot of vetting and a lot

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh we have the challenge of people being placed in seclusion and restraints routinely there.
• One is restraint and second one is seclusion.
• One is restraint and second one is seclusion.
• One is restraint and second one is seclusion.
• <00:50:31.080> So, And second one is seclusion.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The eighth item is on restraint and seclusion.
• This bill would propose amendments to current law to better address the The use of restraint and seclusion
• in schools is addressed by clearly defining restraint and seclusion and adding additional definitions
• is particularly important because those students are disproportionately impacted by restraint and seclusion
• This would again better define what restraint and seclusion are to keep kids and teachers safer in classrooms

Transcript Highlights:

• This is essentially amending some issues as it relates to restraint and seclusion.
• The bill would amend existing law to clearly define restraint and seclusion practices in public schools
• You want to know what would justify essentially a person who is not trained in restraint and seclusion
• So like on page 8, we talk about physical restraint or seclusion shall not be out of proportion to the
• So, and I feel like my questions and my concerns are not necessarily... ...about the seclusion portion

Transcript Highlights:

• with the Salem-Keizer School District to ensure that our team is fully trained in restraint and seclusion
• When Senate Bill 790 was passed in 2023, that added violation of the restraint and seclusion statutes
• what that impact has been on staff injuries, satisfaction, exclusionary discipline, restraint, and seclusion
• ongoing conversation about how do we really have a conversation about the issues around restraint and seclusion
• ongoing conversation about how do we really have a conversation about the issues around restraint and seclusion

Keywords: 907, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When seclusion or restraints are used, is there a special report that's generated?
• When seclusion or restraints are used, is there a special report that's generated? >> Yes.
• When seclusion or restraints are used, is there a special report that's generated? >> Yes.
• <02:17:53.280> or the bill um allows for seclusion or the bill um allows for seclusion or
• It has to be a person who is trained in restraint and seclusion practices. Okay?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 30 minutes of the institution<01:07:35.160> of<01:07:35.240> the<01:07:35.320> seclusion
• of the seclusion, that's not real.<01:07:37.200> That's<01:07:37.480> just<01:07:38.080
• And the bill already prevents seclusion<01:08:45.000> from<01:08:45.160> being<01:08:45.440
• > used<01:08:45.719> for seclusion from being used for seclusion from being used for punishment
• You shouldn't do that with a seclusion.

Keywords: House streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House took up the Appropriations Committee’s report on the fiscal 2027 budget, including Senate Bill 282, the budget bill, and Senate Bill 284, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act. The floor leader described a balanced budget with a $282 million cash surplus, $2 billion in rainy day reserves, and no new fees or taxes, while highlighting funding for child care scholarships and credentials, behavioral health services in schools, Medicaid and SNAP-related outreach, DDA services, domestic violence and rape crisis services, energy assistance, local government disparity grants, and private-sector investment. Both budget measures were special ordered until Wednesday, March 25, and the House adopted the committee’s motion in each case without objection. The chamber also considered several committee reports from Economic Matters, Government, Labor, and Elections, and Health. Among the measures advanced were House Bill 1529 on a Baltimore County local commission on common ownership communities; House Bills 571, 892, 893, 994, 1120, 1166, 1351, 1362, and 883; and health-related bills including House Bills 446, 658, 698, 1015, and 1048. Most bills were amended and then given favorable reports, with the House adopting the amendments and ordering the bills printed for third reading. Several bills drew brief floor questions. House Bill 994 would create a $300 annual registration fee for travel services providers, but the sponsor said it would not add new penalties beyond existing consumer protection laws. House Bill 1166 on front license plate display clarified that a signed statement can shift responsibility to the driver when a front plate cannot be installed, while the existing $500 fine for noncompliance remained current law. House Bill 1351, dealing with disaster mitigation services and MHIC licensing, was explained as bringing those providers under home improvement licensing rules after a transition period, and was special ordered until the end of the session at a delegate’s request. House Bill 1048 on sodium and added sugar warning icons was amended to include a QR code and remove some reporting and education provisions; members also clarified that the bill still uses a 25-gram threshold and that restaurant groups did not support the bill, though it had been worked through with them.

Transcript Highlights:

• They describe seclusions as mind-dumbing, phobic, and report them lasting days and even weeks.
• Unlike DMH patients, who are never subject to locked-door seclusion, the mental health patients at this
• regulations and the six fundamental rights, as well as detailed restrictions on the use of restraint, seclusion
• The prisoners, not patients, can be restrained, medicated by force, [and] held in seclusion.
• of residents with disabilities, has documented hundreds of cases of forced medication, nearly 700 seclusion

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on a broad set of mental health, substance use, recovery, and patients’ rights bills. Early testimony focused on H. 2227, which would replace stigmatizing substance use terminology in the General Laws, and H. 3950, which would support parents in recovery involved with DCF by requiring more individualized recovery plans, clearer benchmarks for parenting time, access to recovery coaches or counselors, family counseling after sustained recovery, and staff training on addiction and lived experience. Speakers described the bills as ways to reduce stigma, increase accountability, and improve reunification outcomes for families. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1386, which would transfer Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Correction to the Department of Mental Health. Advocates, family members, and disability groups testified that Bridgewater functions like a prison rather than a hospital, with excessive restraint, seclusion, involuntary medication, poor conditions, and racial disparities, and argued DMH should oversee a treatment setting. One DMH occupational therapist and MNA member opposed the transfer, saying the real issue is mixing forensic and continuing-care patients and that DMH should instead create designated forensic units under bills H. 228/S. 1408. Committee members asked about Bridgewater’s population, the history of DOC control, capacity, staffing, and how a transfer might be implemented. The committee also heard testimony on modernizing the six fundamental rights for psychiatric inpatients, including expanding communication options, clarifying visitation and advocacy definitions, and improving access to gender-appropriate and culturally relevant items. Another bill, H. 2216, would require stronger oversight before antipsychotic medication is prescribed in nursing homes, prompted by concerns about inappropriate use. Finally, testimony supported H. 2240 and H. 2239 on sober homes, with supporters saying discharge and relocation policies are needed when a resident returns to active use or becomes unsafe, while preserving the recovery environment and resident rights. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• piece, we've mentioned leading up to this point, kind of a broader conversation around restraint and seclusion
• So CPI is the world's largest vendor of training for basically restraint and seclusion, de-escalation
• , but they're partnering with the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint, and they have put together
• done this work with to talk about what the impact of that implementation has been on restraint and seclusion
• rates, staff injuries, satisfaction,... ...restraint and seclusion rates, staff injuries, satisfaction

Keywords: 907, all