The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) today released the latest issue of the Positive Approaches Journal, which aims to provide the most recent research for people with mental and behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to help them live an everyday life. This edition focuses on the importance of trauma-informed training so that interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism can be de-escalated and handled safely for all involved. 

“DHS works to ensure that Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism have the services and supports they need, but we also want to make sure that all Pennsylvanians have these resources,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “We know that there is no one way to approach a law enforcement interaction but it is our hope that the research in this edition of the Positive Approaches Journal can help law enforcement, as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism and their families, find the resources they need to improve their everyday lives.”

In June 2024, informed by conversations with individuals with autism and their families, the Pennsylvania State Police created a card that can be carried by people with autism and presented during any encounter with law enforcement to ensure the interaction is as safe and productive as possible. PSP’s Office of Community Engagement developed the informational card, which is available on the Safety Resources page of PSP’s website. Individuals may print the card from the website and carry it in a wallet, or they can choose to save it on their phone.

“Trauma-informed training and resources like this are critical in fostering safer and more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “When officers are aware of and prepared for the unique needs of these individuals, they can respond in ways that promote safety and reduce the risk of misunderstandings.”

The Shapiro Administration believes that every Pennsylvanian with intellectual disabilities and autism deserves to receive the supports they need to achieve an everyday life with dignity and opportunity to pursue their goals and live, work, and recreate among their families and peers. Life-changing investments in Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget secured historic increases in funding for home and community-based services for Pennsylvanians with intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) as well as increases in rates for the providers responsible for essential care and support of these individuals every day.

This edition of the Positive Approaches Journal features research and articles on the following:

• Data Discoveries investigates encounters between the justice system and individuals with autism and outlines how interactions can be prevented or deescalated and can result in more equitable outcomes. 
• How WE Can Keep Our Autistic Loved Ones Safer details trainings and provides case studies for both law enforcement and individuals with autism and their loved ones to help have safer interactions with law enforcement.
• Police Department Mental Health Liaison Program details the successes of a pilot program in Lehigh County to assess the needs of individuals who engage with the police and refer them to the appropriate service providers. 
• Aid in PA: Resources for Emergency Preparedness demonstrates the Aid in PA website, which was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a source for accurate emergency information and resources for Pennsylvanians who are autistic and/or have an intellectual/developmental disability (IDD).
• Pennsylvania Crisis Intervention Teams: Enhancing Police Responses to Mental Health Crises details the development of Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs) in police departments across the Commonwealth to respond appropriately to behavioral health crises.
• THE POINT: Empowering Youth outlines an organization that provides an after-school community center, on-campus support and mentoring, and a program to support students in juvenile detention.

The journal is a collaboration of DHS’ Office of Developmental Programs and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. It collects resources, observations, and advancements in mental and behavioral health in order to better serve people in their communities.

Read this edition of the Positive Approaches Journal.

For more information visit www.dhs.pa.gov.

Recently, local education agencies (LEAs) received a notification about reviewing 4010 enrollments through the Approved Private School Electronic Management (APSEM) system for school year 2023-2024. Please use the following instructions to review your Approved Private School (APS) enrollments:

1. Log-in as an Approved Private School (APS) or a Local Educational Agency (LEA) User.
2. Click the Reports link on the header.
3. Choose the 4010 Enrollment Report from the report dropdown.
4. Choose 2023-2024 from the School Year dropdown.
5. Click on the Run button.
6. Click the Open button at the bottom of the screen to open the spreadsheet.

Review the 4010 enrollments data, including student name, date of birth, primary exceptionality, age category, etc. Please forward this email to the individual responsible for the APSEM data review in your APS or LEA.

Please contact Eileen Jacobs-Crummel at 717-257-6652 or [email protected] with questions regarding this information.

The Restraint Information System Collection (RISC) is open for data entry for the Third quarter (restraints occurring between January 1, 2025 – April 14, 2025 of the 2024-25 school year). The RISC program continues to enhance its design to give local educational agencies (LEAs) greater opportunity to provide both more detail about restraints and to analyze trends in reducing the use of physical restraints. LEAs are required to report RISC data quarterly during the 2024-25 school year. This includes reporting zero restraints during a quarter when restraints did not occur. Additionally, LEAs still are required to comply with 22 Pa. Code § 14.133(f) or 22 Pa. Code § 711.46(f) Positive Behavior Support related to training of personnel in specific procedures, methods, and techniques. However, 22 Pa. Code § 14.133(f) and 22 Pa. Code § 711.46(f) Positive Behavior Support does not require LEAs to acquire specific certification in the use of restraints and leaves this up to the LEAs and their specific training model. The training of personnel should provide varied intervention and strategies needed to address problem behaviors. The types of intervention chosen for a specific student or eligible young child shall be the least intrusive necessary. The use of restraints is considered a measure of last resort, only to be used after other less restrictive measures, including de-escalation techniques. The Bureau of Special Education (BSE) continues to require LEAs to report the restraints that occurred in each quarter. This reporting process permits LEAs to report restraints in a timely manner which, in turn, allows LEAs to monitor patterns of episodic behaviors and address them accordingly.The quarterly windows of reporting for the 2024-25 school year are as follows:

Quarter	Begin Date	End Date	Last Day to Report	Zero Window Opens	Zero Window Closes
1	07/01/2024	09/30/2024	10/18/2024	10/01/2024	10/18/2024
2	10/01/2024	12/31/2024	01/15/2025	01/01/2025	01/15/2025
3	01/01/2025	03/31/2025	04/14/2025	04/01/2025	04/14/2025
4	04/01/2025	06/30/2025	07/14/2025	07/01/2025	07/14/2025

The RISC reporting design provides an “End Date” for LEAs to comply with their end of quarterly reporting. In addition, there is a two-week window date labeled “Last Day to Report” to allow LEAs to gather and report on those students that attend an out-of-district facility where they were placed in a restraint during that quarter. This two-week period is also a designated time for LEAs that had no restraints during the quarter to report zero in RISC. BSE will continue to send out reminders about this quarterly reporting requirement. BSE will monitor the restraint information reported by LEAs. RISC requires each LEA to report the event that occurred prior to the incident, the incident, the unsafe behavior, and the de-escalation techniques used. The LEA must notify the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the use of a restraint and schedule an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting within 10 school days of the use of the restraint in the educational program, unless the parent(s)/guardian(s), after written notice, agree(s) in writing to waive the IEP meeting. Restraints occurring during Extended School Year sessions should be reported within three weeks of the start of the school year. In reviewing restraints submitted in RISC of school-age students with IEPs, the Special Education Advisers of BSE will continue to focus on LEA monitoring responsibilities, as well as:
-Training of staff in de-escalation techniques; Excessive time of restraint;
-Excessive use of parent/guardian waivers;
-Mechanical restraints;Injuries;Number of restraints;
-10-day window (school days) to convene an IEP meeting after a restraint occurs;
-Handcuffing of students, students tased, or students charged with a safe school’s offense; and
-Excessive law enforcement involved in restraints with staff not involved.

A RISC reporting webinar is posted on the RISC website.

This RISC reporting webinar link is located below the login box of the Leader Services RISC sign-in page. This webinar explains the reporting and investigation process and how to use the RISC program. The webinar also shares how to update your LEA’s contact information. All parties involved with RISC are highly encouraged to view this webinar to learn how to report restraints, how to use the system, and to understand the regulatory responsibility of LEAs.

Additionally, the Bureau of Special Education has recently updated the Restraint Information System of Collection (RISC) Program Guidelines. The new Pennsylvania Department of Education – Bureau of Special Education “RISC Program Guidelines” are also available for review on the RISC website.

Questions regarding RISC should be directed to Keith Focht: 717-783-6921 or [email protected] or to the RISC Resource Account – [email protected].

The accountability requirement under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 mandates each state determines the extent to which students are achieving transition outcomes (State Performance Plan – Indicator 14). To meet the federal reporting requirement, each local educational agency (LEA) is mandated to administer an Exit Process and Post-School Surveys to students (who have graduated, dropped out or reached the maximum age) with individualized education programs (IEPs) once over a five-year period, based on the LEA’s assignment to a targeted sampling year.

For the 2024-2025 school year, LEAs assigned to target sampling Cohort 5 are required to administer the My Plan for Success (MP4S) Exit Process. During 2025-2026 these same LEAs will be required to complete the Post-School Surveys.

The following information specifically addresses the Exit Process administration for 2024-25. LEAs assigned to target sampling Cohort 5, as listed below, are required to address the following:
-Administer the Exit Process for all student leavers (graduates, dropouts, and students who reach maximum age) who have IEPs. To access information from the September 19, 2024, webinar regarding the administration of the Exit Process, including supporting handouts from the training, visit the PaTTAN Secondary Transition My Plan 4 Success Annual Exit Cohort webpage.
-Participate in the February 20, 2025, Exit Survey training webinar from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Registration for this event is required and can be completed when registering for the September webinar. Information regarding accessing and entering information into the online system will be presented during this webinar Registration is required and may be accessed directly at: https://www.pattan.net/Events/Webinar/Course-3341/Events/Session-39831. Please note if you registered for the September 19, 2024, training, you are already registered.

For questions about the MP4S Exit Process or Indicator 14, please contact PaTTAN Educational Consultant, Hillary Mangis, [email protected].