The Florida House of Representatives has unanimously passed CS/CS/HB 7021 – Mental Health and Substance Abuse, a bill aimed at significantly modernizing Florida’s Baker and Marchman Acts.
- The legislation, championed by State Representative Patt Maney and supported by House Speaker Paul Renner, is set to improve the navigation, service delivery, and expected outcomes of the state’s mental health system.
The bill, which received unanimous approval in each assigned committee stop and a 111-0 vote in the Florida House, would be the first major improvement to the Baker Act in 53 years and the Marchman Act in 30 years, according to Maney.
The proposed changes include modernizing standards for involuntary mental health treatment services, broadening the definition of licensed medical practitioners qualified to provide care, and refining the responsibilities of county courts.
“Persistence surely does pay off,” said State Representative Patt Maney – HD4. “After four years in office pursuing these improvements, I am delighted that my colleagues are just as determined as I to see this good legislation implemented.”
The bill aims to reduce recidivism, improve access to care, and increase the efficiency of mental health service delivery. It would be supported by a $50 million appropriation.
- Key highlights of the bill include allowing law enforcement discretion in initiating involuntary mental health evaluations, permitting physician assistants and APRNs to practice in psychiatric settings within their scope of practice, and streamlining the petition process for Marchman Act evaluations and treatment.
The Senate companion bill, SB 1784, sponsored by State Senator Erin Grall, is expected to come before the Florida Senate for a vote before reaching the Governor’s desk for signature into law.
The Baker Act, officially known as the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971, allows for short-term involuntary and voluntary examination, admission, and treatment of individuals with mental illness.
The Marchman Act, officially the Hal S. Marchman Alcohol and Other Drug Services Act of 1993, allows for the involuntary and voluntary assessment, stabilization, and treatment of individuals allegedly abusing alcohol or drugs.
- “We need to shore up our Baker and Marchman Acts to reflect today’s needs,” added Rep. Maney. “Florida’s families deserve the kinds of warm hand-offs in care and positive outcomes in stabilization and treatment when their loved ones are assessed for mental health needs. Especially post-pandemic, our mental health is too important to ignore.”
One Response
I truly hope that something changes regarding the lack of support for those suffering with a mental illness and the effects that it has on the families that have to watch their loved ones go through this. My son is currently sitting in general population Leon county jail due to untreated mental illness, schizophrenia. He was diagnosed after multiple concussions he suffered playing football in high school and a young man that wants had an opportunity to get accepted from the University of Georgia on a full ride athletic and academic scholarship is now sitting in a jail cell instead. The charges that my son was arrested for were nonviolent resisting arrest. He was standing outside not bothering anybody talking to himself as so many untreated schizophrenics tend to do. He was approached by two officers and ended up being arrested. My son was released and then arrested again for very similar non-violent charges. His mental instabilities were not coherent enough to make him understand the severity of not showing up to court. Unfortunately my son not having medical treatment often leaves the home and I can’t find him. He is homeless most of the time and refuses to get medical treatment. I filed two ex parte orders through the Leon county courthouse to get him treatment over the last 3 to 5 years. The first ex parte order resulted in his release without any type of evaluation or medical treatment. The second ex parte order resulted in treatment after I had to threaten the staff if they released him what I would do. I spoke to an amazing officer that has tried to console me and give me peace until a lousy public defender decides he is important enough to get him out. He has been sitting in jail without the ability to post bond or go before a judge for six almost seven weeks at this point. I’m so utterly disappointed and our judicial system that would allow an innocent young man without medical treatment to sit in a jail cell for non-violent charges. He did not seek law breaking events, he did not steal, he did not disrupt anyone around him. He was simply talking to himself and after being antagonized by two officers he is now sitting in a jail cell without bond without the ability to go before a judge and a public defender who is a complete joke and I have zero respect for they are not looking out for the well-being of my son. So I would hope that the politicians that vote for mental illness have intentions of truly doing something about it because if you don’t as you can see it’s already becoming the next pandemic in this country but you’re going to see more events like the unfortunate one that took place at the Florida State University campus just two weeks ago. Something has got to stop. The people that are homeless that we see every day in passing aren’t homeless because they are on drugs they’re homeless because they’re mentally unstable and the families have no idea how to get them help. If you try to get them help, and you don’t have lots of money to put them in Fancy hospitals they discharge them without evaluating them and don’t really give two shit about there will be. My son’s name is Christopher Jacob Brock birthday July 4th 2000 he right now sits in Leon county jail in Tallahassee Florida our state’s capital without the ability to go before a judge or post bond for non-violent charges while he was minding his own damn business. I can’t get him help I can’t get help from anyone. We’ll see how much these politicians give a shit about mental health.