NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Dionne Dougall, AHA, 202-626-2284
Carole Szpak, NAPHS, 202-393-6700, Ext. 101

AHA AND NAPHS ISSUE
GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION

Encourage Memberships To Review Policies And Practices

WASHINGTON (February 26, 1999) – Expressing concern over recent reports of death and injury from the use of restraint and seclusion interventions with psychiatric patients, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) today issued Guiding Principles on Restraint and Seclusion for Behavioral Health Services.

These principles are being distributed to members of both NAPHS and the AHA’s Section for Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services, and will be shared with other constituencies working on the issue. The statements are the first major initiative to result from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the NAPHS and AHA earlier this month. The MOU provides an opportunity to focus on behavioral health issues and collaborate in the areas of policy development, information and data resources and quality of care, among other activities.

"We are very concerned about recent reports of injury and death resulting from the use of restraint and seclusion," said NAPHS Executive Director Mark Covall. "We must ensure that patients are safe and receive high-quality, individualized treatment. These principles are designed to help behavioral health organizations and providers review their current policies and practices. The guiding principles are also designed to provide a framework to help legislative and regulatory bodies provide appropriate oversight."

"We’ve drawn from existing principles and policies on behavioral health that have long guided the field to help develop these guidelines," said Jonathan T. Lord, M.D., AHA chief operating officer.

"We want to give this issue the attention it deserves, and continue to help our members achieve the top level of care that their patients expect."

Based on expert practices, the principles identify seclusion and restraint as emergency interventions which aim to protect patients in danger of harming themselves or others. When used properly, they can be life-saving and injury-sparing interventions. However, both organizations advocate using seclusion and restraint as infrequently as possible, and only when less restrictive methods are considered but are not feasible.

In the principles, the AHA and NAPHS acknowledge that appropriate oversight of seclusion and restraint is important, and commit to continuing to work with consumers, families, regulatory and accrediting agencies, Congress and others to ensure that the systems are working, and that clear and appropriate guidelines and standards are in place to protect patients.

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 37,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA Web site at www.aha.org.

The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems represents behavioral healthcare systems that are committed to the delivery of responsive, accountable, and clinically effective treatment and prevention programs for people with mental and substance abuse disorders. Its members are behavioral healthcare provider organizations, including 400 specialty hospitals, general hospital psychiatric and addiction treatment units, residential treatment centers, partial hospital services, behavioral group practices, and other providers of care. NAPHS was founded in 1933. For more information, visit the NAPHS Web site at www.naphs.org.

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Editor’s Note: Please call Dionne Dougall (AHA) or Carole Szpak (NAPHS) for a copy of the guidelines.

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