Florida Mental Health Act
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The Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 is commonly known as the "Baker Act" in Florida.
The Baker Act allows for involuntary examination (what some call emergency or involuntary commitment). It can be initiated by judges, law enforcement officials, or mental health professionals. There must be evidence that the person a) has a mental illness (as defined in the Baker Act) and b) is a harm to self, harm to others, or self neglectful (as defined in the Baker Act). Examinations may last up to 72 hours and occur in 100+ Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF; originally Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, or HRS) designated receiving facilities statewide. Many things may occur after the examination. This includes the release of the individual to the community (or other community placement), a petition for involuntary inpatient placement (what some call civil commitment), involuntary outpatient placement (what some call outpatient commitment or assisted treatment orders), or voluntary treatment (if the person is competent to consent to voluntary treatment and consents to voluntary treatment). The involuntary outpatient placement language in the Baker Act took effect in 2005.
The nickname of the legislation has led to the term "Baker Act" as a verb for invoking the Act to force somebody to be committed.
