Tremendous Reduction of Restraints in Massachusetts

DEVAL L. PATRICK-GOVERNOR

TIMOTHY P. MURRAY-LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

JUDYANN BIGBY, M.D.-SECRETARY

MA Department of Health and Human Services Press Release on Restraint Reduction

June 24, 2008 - For immediate release:

Janice Lebel and Nan Stromberg Awarded the Gloria Huntley Award

BOSTON — Janice LeBel, Ph.D., Director of Program Management for the Department of Mental Health, and Nan Stromberg, Director of Nursing for the Department of Mental Health Licensing Unit, were presented the Gloria Huntley award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) earlier this month at the NAMI Convention in Orlando, Florida.

The award was presented to Dr. LeBel and Ms. Stromberg, in addition to other core faculty from the Office of Technical Assistance associated with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, for their work in preventing the use of restraint and seclusion and incorporating principles of trauma-informed, strength-based care in inpatient treatment settings.

The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, through its Child/Adolescent and Licensing Services Divisions, embarked on a mission to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of restraints and seclusions in all child and adolescent inpatient and intensive residential treatment facilities in the state in 2001. Recent statewide data for Massachusetts show the use of mechanical restraints were reduced by 87%, medication restraints decreased 76% and the hours of restraint were reduced by 67%.

The award is named for Gloria Huntley, a consumer who died while being restrained at Central State Hospital in Virginia. She had spent 26 continuous days in restraint when she died. Gloria’s death was part of a national media exposé about the lethal effects of restraint and seclusion that led to Congressional hearings, federal and accrediting body regulatory reforms, and new resources from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration.

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