PA HB1577

Restricts use of chemical restraints, manual restraints, mechanical restraints, seclusion, exclusion, strip searches, and body cavity searches in youth facilities to last-resort measures only when a child poses serious and immediate risk of physical harm to self or others

Prohibits restrictive procedures for punishment, retaliation, administrative convenience, or staffing shortages; inappropriate use constitutes grounds for criminal investigation and license revocation

Requires the Department of Human Services to conduct routine announced and unannounced inspections, maintain public records of confirmed violations, and publish quarterly reports with disaggregated data on seclusion, restraints, and searches by race, gender, ethnicity, and disability status

Limits cool-down or time-out periods to a maximum of three hours, requires strip searches only with probable cause and same-gender personnel, and mandates body cavity searches be performed only by outside medical providers

Mandates facilities use evidence-based program models with incentive-focused discipline plans, provide staff training on cultural competence and recidivism reduction, and establish accessible grievance procedures for children without fear of retaliation