In this bulletin, we talk about chemical restraint.

Chemical restraint is when medicine is used to change how a person behaves.

It is used to reduce or stop behaviours of concern.

Behaviours of concern are things someone does that might put:

• themselves in danger
• other people in danger.

Chemical restraint doesn’t include medicine a doctor gives someone to help them with an illness.

For example, medicine they need for:

• their mental health
• a physical illness.

A doctor decides if medicine is used to:

• change how a person behaves

or

• help them with an illness.

It is chemical restraint if:

• a doctor gives a person medicine to reduce or stop behaviours of concern

• the person takes the medicine by themselves

• a provider supports the person to take the medicine

• a person is affected by the medicine while a provider is giving them support.

Chemical restraint is a type of restrictive practice.

It is important to think about how a restrictive practice affects a person.

This includes thinking about how a person feels about the restrictive practice.