Child and adolescent inpatient restraint reduction: a state initiative to promote strength-based care

To reduce the use of restraint and seclusion with children and adolescents in psychiatric inpatient units by promoting a preventive, strength-based model of care.

The State Mental Health Authority used data analysis, quality improvement strategies, regulatory oversight, and technical assistance to develop and implement system change over a 22-month period. No changes in regulation or policy were undertaken.

Comparative data collected before and after the interventions demonstrated substantial reductions in the use of restraint and seclusion. Child units (age 5-12) decreased from 84.03 to 22.78 episodes per 1,000 patient days (72.9%), adolescent units from 72.22 to 37.99 episodes (47.4%), and mixed child/adolescent units from 73.37 to 30.08 episodes (59%).

The use of restraint and seclusion in child and adolescent inpatient settings can be reduced through a systems approach, which may have applicability to other settings and systems.