Keeping America’s Children Safe from Abuses in the use of Psychotropic Drugs and Seclusion/Restraint – The absence of specific federal and, often, state standards governing the use of restraints and seclusion in schools, and practices governing psychotropic drug prescribing for children and adolescents where parental consent is not available, such as foster care, are no excuse for these practices to continue. All of these practices not only are inappropriate, but also are dangerous, expensive and, at times, can be fatal. They are problems of national significance given the tremendous number of children and youth with behavioral disorders or I/DD; the just-released CDC report showing a sharp rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders; and a recent Department of Education finding that seclusion and restraints are being used on tens of thousands of students nationwide. And it’s an issue that demands local, community-based attention and action.