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The law permits the involuntary commitment of people with psychiatric disabilities who are either dangerous to themselves or others or gravely disabled.

A Baker Act is a means of providing individuals with emergency services and temporary detention for mental health evaluation and treatment when required, either on a voluntary or an involuntary basis.

Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org/. 988 is confidential, free crisis service that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Lifeline connects people to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals.

This law requires community mental health centers (CMHC) to conduct a “screening” before someone can be admitted to a state psychiatric hospital (like Osawatomie or Larned State Hospitals) without their permission.

What is a Baker Act Proceeding? Florida's Baker Act law is a means of providing individuals with emergency services and temporary detention for up to 72 hours for mental health examination pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 394. The Baker Act DOES NOT guarantee long term placement for individuals.

The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling is responsible for licensing, monitoring, disciplining and educating clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors to assure competency and safety to practice in Florida.

Although the Baker Act is a statute only for the state of Florida, use of "Baker Acting" as a verb has become prevalent as a slang term for involuntary commitment in other regions of the United States.

The majority of states offer the Baker Act and Marchman Act including the following states: Alaska. Arkansas. California. Colorado. Connecticut. Delaware. District of Columbia. Florida.