Changes to Baker and Marchman Acts: Mental Health Experts Weigh In

Overview of Changes

Mental health and substance abuse experts say the recent changes to the Baker Act and Marchman Act were long overdue. These Acts allow the involuntary commitment of people facing mental health issues (Baker Act) or substance abuse (Marchman Act). The new guidelines make it easier for individuals to be evaluated involuntarily.

Key Updates

• Flexibility in Treatment: Courts now have more flexibility to meet the treatment needs of individuals.
• Parental Notification: When children are involved, parents must be notified.
• Law Enforcement: Officers can more easily request Baker or Marchman Acts when necessary.

Importance of Mental Health Discussions

Natasha A. Pierre, who deals with her own mental health challenges, now educates others on coping strategies. She emphasizes the importance of discussing mental health and allocating funds to address it.

“This is something people are actively dealing with and it’s increasing. Anxiety, depression, the grief. The overwhelm, the stress that people are dealing with, it’s real,” said Pierre.

Role of Law Enforcement

Law enforcement officers often find themselves in positions where they need to request Baker or Marchman Acts. Pierre believes having more informed officers is beneficial.

“It’s not what they like to do. It’s not their role. They didn’t go to school for psychiatry and psychology. But because they are in those positions, having them more informed, having them more aware is definitely good for all,” said Pierre.

Streamlining the Process

Roaya Tyson, CEO of Tampa’s Gracepoint Wellness, highlights the significance of streamlining the Baker and Marchman Acts. Previously, practitioners could only use immediate observations to assess someone for an involuntary exam. The new changes allow practitioners to gather additional information from family and friends to make a more informed decision.

“Before when practitioners were assessing somebody for an involuntary exam, they could only use what was in front of them at that very moment. Now we are able to get some collateral information from family members and friends and people that were close that can tell us what kind of behaviors they’ve seen that are disturbing,” said Tyson.

Funding for Post-Care Services

The new legislation allocates $50 million towards services for individuals after they are released from care. Experts agree that while the changes are a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to address mental health issues comprehensively.

References

• Interview with Natasha A. Pierre
• Interview with Roaya Tyson, CEO of Tampa’s Gracepoint Wellness
• Information from recent legislative changes to the Baker Act and Marchman Act