New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 3A - CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Chapter 55 - MANUAL OF REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Subchapter 6 - PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Section 3A:55-6.13 - Restrictive behavior management practices

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 3A:55-6.13

Current through Register Vol. 57, No. 6, March 17, 2025

(a) Facilities that choose to utilize restrictive behavior management practices shall develop policies and procedures that assist children in gaining control of their behavior, protect the children from self-harm, protect other children or staff members, and prevent the destruction of property.

(b) The facility shall:

1. Obtain written approval from the Office of Licensing for any restrictive behavior management practice that the facility plans to utilize prior to its implementation with children; and

2. Not utilize restrictive behavior management practices as a means of punishment, for the convenience of staff members, or as a substitute for a treatment program.

(c) Prior to the child's admission, the facility shall:

1. Explain to the parents, the child, and the placing agency any restrictive behavior management practice that is used, the circumstances under which it will be employed, and the possible risks involved; and

2. Obtain written consent for the use of all types of restrictive behavior management practices the facility uses from the child's parents.

(d) The facility shall ensure that the consent form is written in plain language and that either a translated version or an interpreter is available to explain it to non-English speaking or hearing impaired parents.

(e) Whenever the parents refuse to consent to a restrictive behavior management practice, revoke their consent for the practice, or cannot be located to give consent, the facility shall:

1. Refrain from utilizing the practice unless the child presents an imminent danger to self or others, and apply other, non-restrictive interventions until such consent is obtained; and

2. Request that the placing agency obtain the necessary consent, either through administrative action pursuant to an agreement between the parent, the Division and the other placing agency or through legal action, if necessary to protect the best interests of the child.

(f) The facility shall maintain a copy of all signed consent forms in the child's records.

(g) At least 10 working days before each staffing or treatment planning meeting, the facility shall send a letter to the child's parents and to the placing agency, which shall:

1. Inform them of the frequency and duration of any restrictive behavior management practice that was used with the child;

2. Describe how the child responded to the restrictive behavior management practice; and

3. Invite them to the treatment planning meeting to discuss the child's program and treatment status. If they do not attend the treatment plan meeting, the facility shall send the parents a written summary of the treatment plan meeting and a copy of the child's treatment plan.

(h) The facility shall develop and maintain on file in the administrative office a policy indicating which restrictive behavior management practices the facility uses.

(i) Facilities that utilize physical restraint with children shall:

1. Ensure that physical restraint is used only to protect a child from self-harm, or to protect other children or staff members, or to prevent the destruction of property when the child fails to respond to non-restrictive behavior management interventions;

2. Ensure that staff members use only physical restraint techniques and holds, such as the basket hold or restraining the child in the prone position. These techniques and holds shall only be used when the child:
i. Has received a medical examination that documents that the child is in good health; and

ii. Does not have a documented respiratory ailment such as asthma, a spinal condition, fracture, seizure disorder or other physical condition that would preclude the child from being restrained, unless the physician authorizes such techniques;

3. Ensure that a child is released from restraint as soon as he or she has gained control;

4. Document each physical restraint incident in an incident report that reflects the following:
i. The name of the child;

ii. Date and time of day the restraint occurred;

iii. Name of all staff members involved in the restraint;

iv. Precipitating factors that led to the restraint;

v. Other non-restraint interventions attempted;

vi. Time the restraint ended;

vii. Condition of the child upon release; and

viii. Medical review by the nurse or physician if injury to the child is suspected;

5. Ensure that all restraint incidents are:
i. Reviewed by a supervisory staff member within one working day after the incident; and

ii. Discussed with the staff member involved in the restraint when the restraint is deemed improper within one working day after the incident;

6. Ensure that staff members who are involved in the restraint of a child receive training in safe techniques for physical restraint; and

7. Prohibit staff members from utilizing the following practices during a physical restraint:
i. Pulling a child's hair;

ii. Pinching a child's skin;

iii. Twisting a child's arm or leg in such a manner that would cause the child pain;

iv. Kneeling or sitting on the chest or back of a child;

v. Placing a choke hold on a child;

vi. Bending back a child's fingers;

vii. Intentionally shoving a child into walls and objects; and

viii. Allowing other children to assist in the restraint.

(j) Facilities that utilize exclusion shall:

1. Inform staff members through written policy of the circumstances when exclusion may be utilized as a behavior management intervention, such as:
i. Disruptive behavior, including fighting, name calling and pushing;

ii. Increased agitation on the part of the child;

iii. Non-compliant behavior or failure to participate in the program; and

iv. Uncontrollable emotional outbursts such as crying, screaming and inappropriate laughter;

2. Ensure that the child being excluded is not engaging in suicidal behavior;

3. Prohibit more than one child from being excluded in a room or area at a time;

4. Ensure that at least one staff member is responsible to make visual contact with the child every 15 minutes and is within hearing distance of the child when the child is removed from the group;

5. Ensure that the facility does not utilize a closet, bathroom, unfinished basement, unfinished attic, locked room or other unapproved area when excluding a child from the group;

6. Ensure that the exclusion of a child from the other children does not exceed 30 consecutive minutes, unless there is direct verbal contact by a staff member to assess if the child is ready to return to the other children prior to the end of the 30 minutes and a child is not excluded from the group for more than a total of two hours in a 24-hour period;

7. Document each exclusion of a child in an incident report that reflects the following:
i. The name of the child;

ii. Date and time of day the exclusion occurred;

iii. Name of all staff members observing the child;

iv. Precipitating factors that led to the exclusion;

v. Other interventions attempted;

vi. Time the exclusion ended; and

vii. Condition of the child upon release; and

8. Ensure that the child is reintroduced to the group in a sensitive and non-punitive manner as soon as he or she has gained control.

(k) A facility shall not utilize any type of mechanical restraint on or after January 1, 2020.

(l) Facilities that choose to utilize mechanical restraint until December 31, 2019, in addition to taking the precautions listed for physical restraint in (i)1 through 7 above, shall:

1. Ensure that only leather restraints and soft handcuffs are utilized;

2. Discuss with the facility's staff physician or consulting physician the appropriateness of utilizing mechanical restraints with the child and secure the physician's initial approval before utilizing such restraint for the child;

3. Document in the child's treatment plan or record that other less restrictive practices have been considered and attempted before mechanical restraint was applied;

4. Ensure that staff utilizing mechanical restraints have received training in the administration of these restraints;

5. Instruct staff in the policies/procedures regarding the mechanical restraint, including the obligation to secure approval for each implementation of a mechanical restraint from the administrator and/or staff physician or consulting physician prior to implementing a mechanical restraint. Such approval shall be:
i. Documented in writing through signature by the administrator and/or staff physician or consulting physician; and

ii. Filed in the child's case record;

6. Ensure that the child is protected and handled in a manner which avoids injury when applying mechanical restraint;

7. Ensure that no more than one child is mechanically restrained in the same room or area at the same time;

8. Ensure that a staff member(s) remains at arm's length of the child and maintains visual contact at all times during the restraint or maintains visual contact utilizing an Office of Licensing-approved television monitoring system;

9. Ensure that staff check the child's arms and legs every 15 minutes to prevent circulation problems;

10. Ensure that the child has access to toilet facilities;

11. Ensure that the child has access to all scheduled meals during the period restraints are being used;

12. Limit the use of mechanical restraint to no more than two consecutive hours and no more than four hours in a 24-hour period unless approval from a physician is obtained. The facility may request approval from the physician to exceed the time frame limitations for mechanical restraint when it appears that a child needs additional time to gain control of his or her behavior. A written copy of the physician's order to extend the time a child is placed in mechanical restraints shall be filed in the child's case record;

13. Have the child checked by a nurse or physician immediately afterward to ensure that the child has not suffered an injury. If a nurse or physician is not on grounds, the administrator on duty or staff member in charge shall immediately:
i. Contact the facility's on-call medical staff or the consulting physician; or

ii. Arrange a medical examination at the local hospital or clinic;

14. Explore other treatment options for a child whenever mechanical restraint proves ineffective or accelerates destructive/self-injurious behavior, including, but not limited to:
i. One-to-one staff supervision;

ii. Psychotropic medication, provided it is approved and prescribed by a physician; and/or

iii. Psychiatric hospitalization; and

15. Prohibit the use of the following types of mechanical restraints:
i. Straight jackets;

ii. Leg irons;

iii. Papoose boards;

iv. Ropes;

v. Metal handcuffs;

vi. Body wraps;

vii. Body tubes;

viii. Teflon handcuffs;

ix. Blanketing; and

x. Four- or five-point restraint.

(m) A facility that is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) as a psychiatric hospital or facility and has a current contract with the Department may use four- or five-point restraints with a child. When the facility uses four- or five-point restraints, the facility shall comply with all the requirements for physical and mechanical restraint, with the exception of (l)15x above.

(n) A facility utilizing a behavior management room shall:

1. Ensure that the room:
i. Is unlocked at all times during its use;

ii. Is used for only one child at a time;

iii. Has floor space that provides a minimum of 70 square feet;

iv. Has a ceiling height of at least seven feet and six inches;

v. Has durable padded covering secured on the walls at least up to the six-foot level. The covering shall be made of a material that is fire retardant;

vi. Provides a minimum of 10 foot-candles of light in all areas of the room. All lighting fixtures shall have a protective covering to prevent tampering by a child;

vii. Has a door that is padded and equipped with a safety glass window to provide visibility of the room; and

viii. Has adequate ventilation that complies with local and state regulations;

2. Establish a written policy regarding the use of the behavior management room for children. This written policy shall specify:
i. Criteria for the use of this room, including those types of behavior that could result in the child's isolation;

ii. Those staff members who are authorized to place a child in the room;

iii. Procedures for ensuring the child's safety while confined in the room;

iv. Procedures for helping the child re-enter the group; and

v. Time frames governing a child's isolation in the room;

3. Ensure that no child remains in such a room for more than two consecutive hours or for more than four hours in a 24-hour period unless approval from a physician is obtained. The facility may request approval from the physician to exceed the time frame limitations for the use of the behavior management room when it appears that a child needs additional time to gain control of his or her behavior. A written copy of the physician's order to extend the time a child remains in the behavior management room shall be filed in the child's case record;

4. Ensure that objects such as belts, matches, pens or other potentially harmful objects are removed from the child prior to the child's placement in the behavior management room;

5. Ensure that there is no minimum length of time for placement when children are isolated in such a room;

6. Ensure that a staff member:
i. Maintains constant visual contact with any child considered to be at high risk if left unattended in such a room; and

ii. Visually observes a child not considered a high risk in such a room at least every 15 minutes to ensure the safety of the child;

7. Ensure that the child has access to toilet facilities;

8. Prohibit the use of a behavior management room for non-violent or non-assaultive offenses or behaviors or for practices to:
i. Prevent runaways;

ii. Seclude a child who is ill;

iii. Punish a child for stealing, cursing, or failing to cooperate with house rules;

iv. Facilitate supervision for the convenience of staff; and/or

v. Permit a child to eat his or her meals in such a room;

9. Maintain a log book detailing each use of the behavior management room. This log book shall contain the following:
i. The name of the child;

ii. The date and time of day that the child was placed in such a room;

iii. The signature of the supervising staff member authorizing placement;

iv. A description of the behavior precipitating the decision to place the child in such a room;

v. The time(s) the observing staff member checked on the child in such a room, including a description of the child's behavior and signature of the staff member responsible for observing the child;

vi. The time that the child was removed from such a room;

vii. The child's condition and appearance at the time of removal; and

viii. The child's behavior upon return to the group; and

10. Maintain a copy of the log book entry as identified in (m)9 above in the child's record.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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