If you found out that someone was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital, you might assume the person must have some serious mental health problems and needs to be removed from society to get some help. This is not the typical case. In fact, every 1 ¼ minutes, someone is involuntarily committed so it is not logical that there are that many people out there that need to be committed, or “Baker Acted,” as it is known in the state of Florida. Instead of this law protecting individuals, it poses a dangerous threat to anyone. The Baker Act dictates that a person must have a mental illness and would not get treatment on his own. Further, without any treatment that person could cause bodily harm to himself and others based on his recent behavior, so that he needs to be forced into getting treatment. That is the logic behind involuntary commitment. It sounds innocent enough, but in reality it doesn’t work. The problem is who decides whether you are a danger to yourself or others? Imagine having a fight with your neighbor who then calls the police and says you are dangerous and you are then picked up and put in a psychiatric facility. Imagine answering an ad because you feel depressed over the death of a loved one and someone shows up at your door telling you that you must go to a psychiatric hospital at once to get treatment. Imagine going to a psychiatrist for help with the stress of everyday life only to be committed because he has deemed it necessary. These are all instances of using the Baker Act in the name of “public safety.” You may logically think these are examples of misunderstandings that could be sorted out easily. Not necessarily. A seventy-four year old man was asked if he was depressed by his home care nurse. Things weren’t looking particularly upbeat at the moment so he answered yes. He was forced to go to a psychiatric hospital and he tried to explain it was a misunderstanding, but he was admitted as being suicidal without so much as a chance to make a phone call to someone who would really help him. When one and a half to two million people are involuntarily committed each year in the United States, one can only think there are many instances where someone is committed unnecessarily. Whether in error or not, under the Baker Act or other involuntary commitment laws, you can be detained for seventy-two hours for observation. A lot can happen in those seventy-two hours. Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, states, “it [involuntary commitment] entails far greater deprivation of rights than does incarceration in prison.” Once admitted, despite having legal rights, you may not have the opportunity to exercise them before treatment is begun. You may be forced to take psychotropic drugs with horrendous side effects within that seventy-two hour period. Perhaps electro-shock is deemed necessary to change that undesirable behavior. Whatever the case, it is more than likely legal as accountability isn’t clearly defined. Criminals must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt but that is not the case when dealing with involuntary commitment. For example, if you experience brain damage or if you were committed based on false information, the psychiatrist is not liable. The only proof needed is that statutory procedure was followed which favors the psychiatrist. When one is Baker Acted in Florida, one has the right to informed consent which means you should be given a reason you are being admitted, what the treatment will be, its purpose, its benefits and side effects and what are the alternatives. You have the right to contact an attorney and you should be given a copy of these rights upon being admitted. That doesn’t mean it will happen. If a person is arrested by the police, the person is informed of his Miranda rights. If a person is aker Acted, he isn’t necessarily told of his rights. Mental health personnel ignore the laws as a formality getting in the way of getting treatment for the patient. The problem is, if you don’t know you have these rights and no one tells you about them, then the invitation for them to be ignored is there and so is the opportunity for abuse. One should also consider that a psychiatrist only treats symptoms and does not cure anything. There is no medical test such as an x-ray, blood test, MRI or anything else to prove that a “mental illness” or “mental disorder” exists in the body. It is ironic that a psychiatrist has the legal power to force you to receive treatment that could incapacitate you, yet his actions are not based on science. Yet this “expert” is the one that can judge you to be a danger to yourself or others in the name of “mental health care.” It would be wise to get informed and know your rights so you don’t become one of the innocent people Baker Acted and mentally crippled. http://www.cchrstl.org/documents/involuntary_commitment.pdf https://www.cchrflorida.org/baker-act-q-and-a.html
Florida’s Baker Act is a Danger to All
94 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- The Citizens Commission on Human Rights Exposes Baker Act Abuses in Florida | SproutNews - […] [3] FLORIDA’S BAKER ACT IS A DANGER TO ALL https://www.cchrflorida.org/floridas-baker-act-is-a-danger-to-all/ […]
- DEPRESSION – A CRIME IN FLORIDA? | CYNTHIA L. HOUSE - […] [1] https://www.cchrflorida.org/floridas-baker-act-is-a-danger-to-all/ […]
Contact CCHR Florida
109 N. Fort Harrison Ave.
Clearwater, Florida 33755
Tel: 1-800-782-2878
If you’re not crazy going in…you will be coming out
I was handcuffed and taken in front of my neighborhood by cops that were called by my mother. My husband had been sick and she flew down to help out. One night I was so upset about his health which he had liver disease from drinking. I had a couple of drinks. I know that sounds bad but we were drinkers and I had stopped when he got sick but that one night I just couldn’t handle things so I did have a couple of drinks. I was not drunk and the cops agreed that I wasn’t but I got into a fight with my mother which later she admitted to my daughter she pushed me to see what I would do. Anyways she called the cops and told them I was a danger to myself and of course they took me to the local hospital. I was held for what seemed 24 hours were a doctor came in and told me he would release me if I told him the truth. I didn’t want to be there so I told him everything( I think I told him more then I needed to like that I stole something when I was 5 years old lol) I was scare and wanted out but he just looked at me and told me I was a lair and he had me transported to another hospital. Two hours in the car being transferred I finally got to this place that’s supposed to be the best in the state. What a joke, it was horrible thank god most the nurses were nice which I was told by all of them ” why are you here, you seem normal. You don’t belong here”. That didn’t matter the doctors held me longer than the 72 hours I think because of my insurance. What ever the reason it was not right and not fair. Now that my husband has past away, 39 days now. My mother wants to put me back in. How can someone just Baker Act you wherever they feel like it. Do we not have any rights ourselves??
Please call our office at 727-442-8820 and ask to speak with an advocate.
I resently moved to Florida so I didn’t know anything about the baker act. I went to the emergency room because I had not found a mental health provider here, all I needed was a med adjustment. I was told the ONLY way I could see a psychiatrist was if I agreed to inpatient treatment. At first I agreed. Then they came in and said an ambulance will be coming to get me to transfer me to the main hospital. I questions why the ambulance was needed, why couldnt I just drive myself. The Dr said that if I drove myself I would have to go thru the emergency room again and that I might not get to see a psychiatrist. that if I went by ambulance I was guaranteed to be seen. Then she comes in with those paper srubs. I immediate said that this is turning out to not be what I thought I was agreeing to. I asked how long they could hold me when I got there and I was told quote “ this is 100% VOLUNTARY and has nothing to do with the baker act you can leave at anytime”. Upon arriving to the hospital I realized that they were putting me on a locked unit. I again said this is not what I agreed to do, refused admission and said I want to leave. The nurse looked at me in front of other patients that were gathered in the hallway and loudly says quote “ You can’t say You are sucidal and expect to walk out of there”. For the record no where in my medical records does it say I said that. I fact it states NO suicidal or homicidal thoughts. I demanded to see in my chart where it said that and she refused to show me. I kept saying that I was there voluntarily and was told it had nothing to do with the baker act, I wanted to leave. I was told that I could sign a request to discharge only not an AMA. I will admit in anger I didn’t read the paper I just signed it. I found out Later the discharge paperwork In turn gave them premission to hold me against my will until the Dr saw me and also that from that point forward that I refused treatment. The same nurse that violated my HIPPA rights also came into my room later that night and when I asked her to apologize for violating my rights in front of everyone she said no and told me to be careful of what I said because she had the power to lock me on the other unit!!! I was given a narcotic to sleep( but remember I supposably refused treatment) I was withheld a nicotine patch that had been order for me at 1 PM but even after asking for it miltiple times I was never given it. I was left to roam the halls and cry wondering why I was being held hostage when I was promised by the ER that they wouldn’t do that. When the Dr finally saw me the next morning, he states “ you don’t look suicidal to to me” when I said I wasn’t and never said I was, he said he would release me but not until he took it a step father and called my husband to make sure he felt it wa safe for me to come home, again stating “ she doesn’t look sucidal to me but seem pretty aggravated” my husband told them I never said I was and that it was no wonder I was agrravated I had just been held against my will after being told it wouldn’t happen and that they release me he was on his way. When I was standing there waiting to leave, they brought me a bag with what I thought was the hoodie I was wearing when I got there but it also contained my purse. The previous day I had give to the ambulance crew to give to my husband, with the premission from staff, because he was waiting for me outside. Again we thought I was just being fast tracked to see a Dr NOT being baker acted. The last time I had laid my eyes on it was when the EMT was walking out of the doors with it. Somewho it ended back up in staffs hand but so was never told it wasn’t given to my husband. They not only searched it but also inventoried it without me presents. The intire content of my purse was in two separate sealed bags. There are no initials on the bag so I can’t even prove who inventoried it without me being present!! I did file a complaint with the hospital, only to have risk management call me yesterday and say that even thought I wasn’t baker acted, the release form I was forced to signed gave them permission to hold me under baker act laws when it came to voluntary release. How can they hold me under a law that they admit I wasn’t admitted under in the first place??? How can they flat out lie to me, hold me hostage, completely tramatize me and then justify it all by using the form they forced me to sign against me?? This is so wrong on so many different levels.
Based on what you have written your rights were violated. Someone from our office will contact you.
It is a nation-wide problem. Abuse and fraud is RAMPANT. There have been some new stories about the FBI investigating a psychiatric chain called “UHS” but it’s not just them. It’s EVERY “Behavioral Health” hospital. Ridiculous. With just one little signature on a falsified form, they can throw you into a prison for several days. It’s despicable. I will be suing the hospital system that did this to me. They kidnapped me and held me illegally for SIX DAYS.
COLLECT YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS. THEN:
1. File a lawsuit
2. File an insurance dispute asking them to reverse the payments to the mental hospital
3. Report the perpetrators to the Medical Board of your state.
4. Report them to the justice department.
I just moved here from CT where the VA had me invol because I called them about side effects from coming off a HEADache medication. They decided to tell the cops I had PTSD and a gun. So my town sent 9 heavily armed cops to my apartment and kicked down my door. Then after decided to make up a story about me making threats, againsty nieghboors. I was sexually abused .in the hospital and had no choice in my care.
This isn’t just a Florida problem. This is a problem across the country. These stories make me regret my descion to come here.
Stay strong and GOD bless.
I was Baker Acted by my former bosses after they fired me so they could cover their asses because I was very upset. The way they treated me flashed me back to a very bad time 12 years ago and I mistakenly got in that headspace and said I should have just ended it back then. I just wanted to go home and cry and be with people who love and will help me, and when I did get home, my driveway was full of cops. They took me away to a place where I was terrified for my safety as they let men and women with all manner of mental illnesses in a ward together and there are no locked doors so I was scared of being hurt or raped. The people I did encounter said I didn’t belong there, and after talking to the doctor, even she said I didn’t belong there. I was fortunate to be released after 24 hours but I feel absolutely traumatized over the entire ordeal. I have a wife and friends who were answering my calls from the moment they gave me a phone to use, so I am not unloved and alone. But at that place…I feel like I’ve seen hell. I spent 24 hours in absolute terror, and it took everything I had to hold it together from one minute to the next.
I have just the opposite problem. I do have a 16 yr old that has a whole list of diagnosed mental disabilities. She is my great niece and have adopted her when my niece passed away from a drug over dose along with her 2 little sisters. She has become violent to the point of pushing her sister down the stairs and hitting her with a hammer. She is on medication but every 3 months its something new to deal with. Now it is seizures. Doctors are calling them psyuedo seizures as they can not find any seizure activity when they do the tests. The past month it has been hospital, discharge, go home and within hours back to hospital having seizures. She has been baker acted 4 times in the past month due to her cutting, removing IVs and just watching herself bleed, and googling suicide and seizures. Everybody that has worked with her including her therapist and psychiatrist agree she needs residential treatment for her safety, the sisters as well as my own because she has gotten violent with me a couple times. My problem is nobody will take her. Every place tells me we are at capacity. I don’t know what to do anymore but to continue to drive back and forth to the hospitals and allow her to control everything. I am about to lose my job over all this because I am missing work constantly or having to leave work when I do get to come in. She needs help….I need help with her!
Please call CCHR at 727-442-8820 and ask to speak with one of the case workers.
This law is being abused by school SRO’s. Where the police need concrete evidence to bring criminal charges, they only need to say “this person is dangerous” to take away their rights. This is happening to my son right now. I’ve been fighting his Baker Act for 3 days (we are past the 72 hour mark) and he is still not home. I just want my son home and he wants to come home but they have “diagnosed” him as being a “high risk of violent tendencies.” This “diagnosis” was given before any medical evaluation.
Please take a moment to fill out an abuse report at https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I’ve been considered a “danger to myself or others” several times. Maybeeee 4 5? Idk. Anyway, none of these times was I a danger to anyone. People seem to call the police on me a lot. I have just been walking or riding a bike and people have called the cops on me. It is totally unfair. It’s like I’m a psychopath in the worlds eyes when it’s simply not true. I’ve never threatened anyone, I’ve never been a danger to myself or others and to be able to hold someone involuntarily is bs. Especially when they hold me ten days every time. Not giving me any information, and forcing me to take medicine. Total bs, this law needs to be changed because it is being abused by the public and it’s officials.
Florida’s Baker Act in its existence is a failure human compassion a revolving door if you will
Is there legal help for those to turn to who have been tricked, lied to and minipulated (by a police officer) into being baker acted unwillingly, put through hell for six days only to find out the facility should have released that person immediately, but refused against the families pleads, then having to stay for 6 days because records of a another patient who has the same name and openly admits to being suicidal..Once by death from a cop. Now this innocent person who never should have been there to begin with has on her medical record she has been institutionalized due to harm to self and/or to others. Any suggestions?
You should contact an attorney. Please call us at 1-800-782-2878.
My fiance was just picked up by two police officers at noon today. All his mom had to do was go down to the courthouse and filled out a paper. She put a lot of false information on the paperwork. There are many contradictions on what she said. The biggest is that he refuses treatment. He’s been with act behavior for 16+ years. Not missed appointments always takes his med and is truthfully with them. He was taken to act Chrisis center with a copy of this document. His mother has exhibits the same behaviors. Yesterday they were both arguing and yelling. The cops were called 3 times yesterday by her. All three times she practically demanded he be baker acted, all 3 times she was told he does not exhibit behaviors to constitute being baker acted. Some of the things she put on this paper are things she did. She has never seeked psychological help. When he arrived at the Chris is center with this document he was told he would have to stay because at 1pm on a Friday they had no doctor to evaluate him. He would have to wait until tomorrow between 9 and 11. He was taken to Halifax for some medical issues and was treated badly. During all of this he has remained relatively calm and he went calmly. I’m in fear that all of this is going to force him to have an episode eventually. Also the arguing yesterday was because he had an appointment with act yesterday and his mom was suppose to take him and refused to because she was angry at him. She also verbally abuses her husband and during all of this cornered her grandad her and reeled her because she did not want to leave with her. Her grandad her is 21 she has autism spectrum disorder. His mom put on the paperwork that her grandaughter is afraid of him when in reality she is afraid of her. Also yesterday his mom at one point grabbed my fiance Armand tried to phiscally move him. And all she had to do is go this morning and fill out this paper at the courthouse and they took him.
My fiance was just taken to the act Chris is center this afternoon. He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and anxiety . He has been with act for 16+ years and has not missed his appointments, taken his med and always been truthfull with the people he sees. All his mom, who exhibts the same symptoms, had to do was go to the courthouse and essentially fill out a paper with her version of events and two cops came and picked him up. Now he went willingly and very calmly. He was told by them that he needed an evaluation. When he arrived at the Chris is center he was told he would have to stay because there was no doctor there until tomorrow between 9 and 11. There were police involved yesterday called by his mom who told her that he did not fit the criteria to being Baker acted… three different police officers in one day. The last time I talked to him was at 6pm he was supposed to call me to let me know what is going on. I called there at 8pm and was told nothing that I would have to wait till tomorrow. I’m really worried that under the stress something bad has hapoened. I don’t understand how someone, pretty much out of spite, can just make up some things and force someone who is getting treatment to get treatment. Especially when one of the lies she put on that paper was he refuses to get help. And he at a Chrisis center affiliated with were he has been getting his treatment since the beginning 16+ years. I’m dumbfounded.
I work for a mental health organization. A recent Baker Act I witnessed has led me to want to change things from our agencies perspective. Could you please email me a simplified version of baker act criteria from a patients perspective so I can begin to inform clients of their rights?
Absolutely. It is on the way.
I was Baker Acted a few months back. I had had a lot to drink, and was crying loudly. I walked out on to the balcony to get some air. No threats were ever made to myself or anyone. I was just confused and disoriented and sad. Next thing I know my friend is calling the cops saying I tried to jump and kill myself (?). I was dragged naked into a cop car… They threw me down and laughed at me. Then I wake up (I was very drunk so I had blacked out at this point) in a room I had never seen before. There were no people, no clocks, no phone. I had been locked in this room. I cried, and a nurse barged in and threatened to hurt me if I didn’t stay quite. I wasn’t permitted to drink water or use the toilet for 5 hours. I got no explanation of where I was. The next morning, a psychiatrist comes up to me I will be discharged soon. I say okay. 5 minutes later, she comes back and tells me I’m dissociative. I try to explain I had too many drinks. She tells me this has happened before and I need help (It hasn’t, and how would she know this?). I was never given a psych evaluation. was kept for 3 days, forced to take psychoactive drugs that gave me sleep paralysis and hallucinations. Rape and murder threats were constant. Cameras watched you in the shower/toilet. I wasn’t given any clothes or soap or a tooth brush for the whole duration. I wasn’t fed breakfast or lunch. I called family but they said I deserved it for drinking too much. I had not previously dealt with any serious mental impairments but now I feel that I suffer from many… All for the sake of “saving” me. This is the most dehumanizing and abusive law. Things must change.
Hello….i was baker acted last week, newly retired to florida from the north. It was all due to a misunderstanding and poorly chosen words to my girlfriend during an argument. Please tell me how and where I may submit a complaint, please? I feel like I am stigmatized now and am certainly experiencing post traumatic stress from the humiliating experience. I am also strongly thinking about moving out of this unfriendly, fascist state.
Thank you for your site, it’s comforting knowing I’m not the only innocent victim of circumstance to have suffered this inhuman abuse.
Best from glenn
I am sorry to hear about your situation. Please fill out the form at this link and we will do our best to help you. https://www.cchrflorida.org/report-psychiatric-abuse/
I was wrongfully baker acted by brevard county sheriffs and 2 paramedics after suffering a grand mal seizure and pulling entire glass top range on top of me as was putting food into oven when seizure occurred. My brother, who I reside with, is car salesman, has never seen me in seizure but knows everything. Not really..he is a moron…and a perc popping alcoholic among other things. So, he calls 911 because found me “unresponsive” under stove with door open and oven on. Tries to shake me and smack me awake which of course does not work. Calls 911 and states unresponsive due to drug overdose and having severe depression. Cops galore in my house..paramedics right behind. He then starts ranting to officers that I am waking up but acting strange and having all kinds of mental issues, drug overdoses, angry, erratic behavior and now nearly burned his house down, and has been telling me if I don’t stop this sh@t he will drive me to circles of care himself and push me out the car. He threatens me, he bullies me, and I tell him he’s a moron, none of that is true. I am 5’1″ and 110 lbs if that…he is 6’4″ and over 200 lbs…my meds are monitored and prescribed by physician…3 auto immune disorders..heart trouble…I have been dealing with depression for 7 years, yes, but have never threatened suicide …and can now manage it better…so as deputies enter house just coming conscious…do not recognize my brother…or deputies…that will take several more minutes…also not aware I had seizure…they want to narcan me but I am in fight or flight…this is all standard post seizure stuff for me…so I am screaming, kicking st them and my brother as I run from them. Brother, I am sure cursing at me and telling them “see how she is” and family cannot deal with me anymore. They believe every word of that. I am otherwise not interjecting that not true because due to seizure mostly non-verbal…but I do quiet down as begin to recognize brother and their uniforms but clearly I am confused..they keep asking questions I cannot answer…I keep apologizing and saying “could you repeat that” and ” I am so sorry but I do not understand you”… they go in my bedroom at behest of my brother…pull out all my meds… and take some with them so I cannot use…I am not even aware what is happening..pretty normal post seizure behavior and it will be 5 more days in hospital/jail before I begin to even talk and put it together. End up with very high fever, won’t talk, won’t eat, totally out of it. Daughter, who is nurse at same hospital, calling to check on me but they advise her cannot give you any info…except still here…so she comes to hospital, finds me still non-verbal, laying in my dry excrement.. that is when finds I have high fever, will not eat, staring into space like a zombie…I still remember none of this….she cleans me up and changes bedding..I have no bra or undies on just dirty hospital gown…shrink over that area starts telling her that I am rude and screaming at her for my meds etc… she says to shrink “really? My mom is not like that…are you aware of high fever she has…of course she was not… my daughter tells her need to run blood tests, IV antibiotics as have been in icu many times due to fever spiking over 105 and nearly has lost me a few times… that is all in my records this quack can access but does nothing for days…on 5th day there (what happened to 72 hours?) quack shrink tells me I am going home that day…now I am not aware still of any of this…but very confused trying to make sense of it…I get bits and pieces of info from my daughter who coming daily to make sure I am eating and ok…at 10p quack shrink strolls in door and motions to me ” Susan bring your things and go with them” there is a stetcher and 2 emts…”they are taking you to Weusthoff behavioral health in tockledge” then walks off as I ask her why…ignores me.. I will spend 3 more days in hospital jail but I begin to put it all together..I am 59 years old…not so much as a traffic ticket let alone anything else but I am not able to handle these places, or treatment so disrespectful from all concerned…the Dr. At this facility tells me I tried to harm myself and I went off….what???…no way…everyone is very wrong…he discharges me on day 8 late afternoon…I am so upset and about to have a breakdown but trying not to cry…or talk to any one because I fear will not let me go… that was last Wed….since home I cannot eat…cannot sleep..zero functioning…spend all day going over and over and bursting into tears…I want every person involved…cops…met..quack shrink…even my moron brother to pay for all the damage they have done to me..they abused their power…ignored many clues…never even checked on my damn brain..substandard care..I want money and their damn jobs..,so they will never do to anyone else..I want quack shrinks license taken away..real psych damage done to me and nearly died…stop this damn law and abusing decent citizens..you should all be jailed as well..then maybe you will know how this feels and hang yourself with your bedsheets because you will not be able to take it…but guess what?… none of us will care…you are obviously afflicted with severe mental problems to treat other human beings so wrong and negatively impacting them for life!! You..too..quack shrink at Holmes!!
Oh James, i speak from personal experience about Winter Haven hosp. My experience was in their childrens ward. Just keep visiting her daily & let her know you are there, on her side, and this too shall pass. Play the game-every day she should state only how positive she feels, about her future plans of going back to work & you. She needs to sleep at night, so let her know will be safe of closes her eyes. Bring her some cotton balls to plug her ears or actual plugs. It should all get better soon- then my best advice is move the hell outta Winter Haven. Sorry you are going through this & thanks for sharing as I will NEVER use that botox stuff!!
The Baker Act: The only real “cure” for mood disorders. Gives new meaning to “fake it ’till you make it”.
My son is high functioning autism. He had an episode at school an they called the police an they wanted to backer act him. Now they are telling me if I don’t get him backer acted he can’t come back to school. He is on an iep an the school did not follow it.
The information you are being given is incorrect. Please call us at 800-782-2878 to find out your rights.
The information you are being given is incorrect. Please call us at 800-782-2878 to find out your rights. Autism is excluded from the definition of mental illness in Florida.
Why are handcuffs placed on you & harsh behavior from an officer for being unfairly baker acted. No harm was ever made
its bean prove med’s are only to say date you they work by make you over sleep they take away all you dreams in the hospital they keep track every thing you say and have try false acuse of fake events and some of health care worker in mental health are felons who benefits Big Pharma it all so rips off the tax payer a bad deal for every one!
This is EXACTLY WHY I just try to press on and NEVER seek help.
I am in fear that I will be KIDNAPPED by the STATE, A.K.A. “BIG BROTHER”, further mentally tortured, dehumanized, and thrown in a cage like a rabid dog.
This will do NOTHING MORE that further exacerbate my condition.
THANKS FLORIDA!!!!! GOOD FUCKING JOB!!!
My sister was Baker acted today in clay county by her husband and police officers she was trying to leave her husband who started beating her and burning her clothes and also destroyed her car to prevent her from leaving she left the scene bloody from a large cut to go and find help because he took her phone and her children were still inside the house they live with his mother my mother has been the only one to go and speak to her at the hospital where she was taken they did an MRI and discovered that she had damage to her neck from being strangled when the police officer who the nurse called arived at the hospital to review opening a case against the husband he stated that in my sister’s police report it says that three Witnesses claimed that she was suicidal and the cut was a suicide attempt and that’s why she was Baker acted and there’s nothing she can do about the attack from her husband there’s nothing my mother can do or my sister for 3 days until the Baker Act is over and her children are still with this man who attacked her all because police officers believed him and not her during a domestic dispute . The only thing we can do is call DCF if we believe the children are in danger but we all know how helpful that would be…DCF doesn’t protect children, and the police don’t help people .
Hi Ryann, I am very sorry to hear what has happened to your sister. I have forwarded your comment and email address to our Abuse Case area and someone will reach out to you. You may also call us at 800-782-2878.
I was un-rightfully baker acted last year because this after school worker wouldn’t let me go after I was crying. I did have a bit a depression but I never harmed myself. So when she asked I said I thought about it. She called the police and said I harmed myself. Being in there ruined me. It made me feel like I was as crazy as an old lady that would talk to herself and be in a daze. It was the trigger to me getting worse and not being able to trust anyone. Being baker acted actually ruined my life and I’m still picking up the pieces.
I do have issues of depression. While at the V. A., I tried to tell the doctor I knew I had issues and was hoping for counceling. Upon stating my history of depression I was taken into custody by police and escorted to tbe mental health ward where I was confined for 48 hours. This action which they deemed necessary, as a precaution to cover their ass(which is all the Baker Act does) has caused more damage the help the situation. Now ,I find myself unable to talk to anyone for fear of being Baker Acted again. As a result I don’t trust anyone to talk to. Can I sue them for causing damage that has only complicated things
I assure you, I am of no danger to anyone.
I am sorry to hear that you were Baker Acted. If you feel that the Baker Act was unjust, please fill out an abuse form on our website or call us at 800-782-2878 you may have a legal case.
The Baker Act is BULLSHIT! I was Baker Acted when I wasn’t fighting being hospitalized while I got back on my medications. I have been living with severe depression for a number of years, I know I need to stay on medication, but stopped due to a change in my professional situation. I slipped but did not fall, until I was forced to stay in a hospital over an hour away from my home for almost 2 weeks. I was not suicidal and was completely compliant while there but the doctors refused to discharge me. I was subjected to countless unnecessary tests and days of being locked up. That only hurt my emotional well-being and greatly raised my stress level. They made things so much worse for me while saying they were trying to help me. If they really wanted to help me, they would have let me go home to my babies and the things that make me happy and let me do what I need to do to get things back on track. Forcing me to stay in the hospital with limited contact with the outside world only made things MUCH worse.
Hi I need help. My husband is a disabled veteran with mental disorders and he attempted suicide. They won’t let me see him or be involved in his medical care and I have his power of attorney. He hasn’t talked or given consent for treatment and they won’t allow me to have him moved to a VA hospital that specializes in his particular trauma. Please help
I have aspergers and have episodes of sensory overload, I was baker acted under a panic attack, was told I would get help and all that. 72 hours later I was released. no follow up, no appointments, no help. It was useless and only showed me what FL did to people they feel are different. I saw people needing help and only being talk to by self help book wannabes and talking about Electro shock as being their only option,. im there like ” WTF….. I just have to act and say what they want to get teh fuck out of here.”
Florida needs to change this stuff because its putting people in danger, danger of losing hope and going deeper into depression. these places dotn help, they further the problems by the very environment they place the people into
I am being threatened by an ex friend to baker act me because I do not want to speak to him I am very scared and I am in hiding He has threatened suicide I have not how can I stop this abusive behavior
If your ex-friend is in danger you need to contact the police.
I would like to explain my situation..I have Gastroparisis and Ataxia..Well as u know you are weak and sick and being dope up in this place as a mental challange is what doctor’s do when they don’t listen and lie to ur face..This is a victim of illnesses and being Baker acted with real nut cases of people who need meds and worse of all ur family are ones who have anger issues and deceivers…no one has right to do this to anyone..ea day ton’s of people are mad..upset at tiny things and use brute bully attitudes to do evil to other’s..like it was told in comments not feeling good and being Baker acted is not a cure..it’s a game to many who use this but would go nuts on us if we did it to them..mostly if they are functioning alcoholics who have bipolar tendencies..This law needs to be changed..the person needs to ok or agree and not as a threat..do this or else..
On 11/15/16 My mother died quite suddenly. My father suffered from dementia. He was at first unable to believe that she died. He wanted paramedics to put her back to bed so he could nurse her back to health. Once he understood that she had died he didn’t want to let anyone near her body, afraid they would harm her. He was baker acted to a local hospital. They used chemical restraint (4 sedatives, several that contraindicated eachother and one was Haldol which is black box listed not to be given to people with dementia). They also gave him an abundance of un neccesary drugs such as Levoxacin, a very strong antibiotic. They would not let me advocate for him. we told them to take him off the drugs several times. They left him alone, in spite of being over medicated and having orders to have a babysitter. He coded and they gave him Narcan… a drug to reverse drug overdose of opioids… except he wasn’t on opioids. They should have given him a drug to reverse overdose of sedatives. He died on 11/18/16. There was never a psych consult… even though I requested it.
I am in Florida, not dependant on him. I have complained everywhere I can find to complain and because of florida law apparently nobody cares. they murdered him under a baker act. Being a pain in the butt is no reason to kill him. Any advice or understanding of the laws around this would be very much appreciated.
I am so very sorry to hear what you have been through. Someone will contact you.
Not ready yet but soon
I would like to know the actions that I can take following a fraudulent baker act. I’m far too traumatized to even discuss what happened in that facility, but I want to take every legal action I can to ensure that it never happens to an innocent individual again.
Someone from CCHR will contact you or you may call the center at 727-442-8820.
My mother suffers from severe schizophrenia and paranoia. She has been battling it for over a decade and it has gotten progressively worse over the last few years. She creates very imaginative scenarios that she believes is real, with fake characters/names, whom of which are apparently stealing from her, breaking into her home, watching her, tapping her phone lines, etc. She has vandalized walls of her home with absurd words and phrases, removed her clothing in public, and even try to run away from home because the voices told her to do so. At times, she doesn’t even believe I am her real son and has said very hurtful things. She has a doctor that she visits, but refuses to take any meds now. She also has a history of alcohol abuse, and continues to drink. She does not believe the meds are helping her, or that anyone is trying to help her. She visits our home and beats on our door, screams at us from the sidewalks, and has recently become physical by hitting me occasionally with her fists or using her cane to hit things. Her apartment complex had recently decided to evict her because of the amount of complaints they receive from her harassing her neighbors at all hours. She leaves notes on their front doors and cars with very bizarre messages. She will potentially be homeless after the new year. She believes her bank is stealing her money, and after a few harassing visits including the bank calling the police, they have decided to close her accounts soon and no longer have her as a customer. These “voices” are controlling her life and she has lost touch with reality. She has been Baker Acted several times, by myself and the police. I have had to testify in front of a judge and tell them that I fear that my moms mental health is diminishing and she is a potential threat to herself or others. It has been a continuous cycle of the facilities stabilizing her, then releasing her, only for her to return to her previous ways, regardless of the support my brothers and I try to give her. The Baker Act has always allowed her to get help when deemed necessary. But I have been realizing this is not the best for her because it is becoming a cruel cycle or events. I am beginning to feel that she is being exposed to traumatic events when she is ripped from her home by the police like a criminal and treated as such as these facilities. It is painful to see my mom go through this illness, and watch it destroy our family and the relationship we have with her. I am only 30 now, and have been dealing with this for 10-15 years, and sadly, it has desensitized my brothers and I to thinking that it’s just another normal day with mom acting insane. It is only myself, and my two younger brothers. Our father passed from cancer years back, and we have been looking after our mom since even before his death. She cannot afford a decent ALF, and my brothers and I who are living together, working full time and finally finishing college, find it very difficult to live with her and care for her because of the illness. She will more than likely be Baker Acted again very soon because of her behavior, and I only hope that they can assist us with finding her the help she needs and deserves. My brothers and I love our mother, and hate to see her go through these Baker Acts and this illness. We simply want her to be herself again, and at the same time, we want to be able to continue on in our own lives to do what we aspire. There are times when we feel that it is our fault, and that we have not sacrificed enough or have done enough to help her. Or that we have progressed the situation because of the traumatic Baker Acts with the administered psychotropic drugs and random facilities/doctors/nurses/patients. I was searching for information to help my mom and stumbled upon this site. It’s a long story, and I’m not exactly sure why I’m sharing it. I don’t speak to anyone about our mothers illness, so it helps to talk I suppose. We just don’t know what to do.
The Baker Act, in her situation, has helped to stabilize her at times so she can function normally and have a somewhat normal thought process, but I can see how it could be misused and dangerous. It’s definitely a traumatic experience for whoever has to endure it. An interesting read/website nonetheless.
My name is Manny Mirabal
I have a case against Florida Hospital – forced Baker Acted me and forced injected me twice. Forced to take 2 pills which are driving me crazy.
Please contact me
– I had 3 police come by in Tuesday this past week @ 8:20 to check up’ on me.
– I wouldn’t go outside – St. PETE sent them – I live in Pasco –
– Sgt. Sharpe explained my name was attached on an email that triggered the visit.
– he wouldn’t tell me who or what was written
I am an M.B.B. Six Signa and we are investigating East Tampa corruption of the homeless and oppressed.
Thank you for contacting us. Someone will contact you.
I am concerned. My 21 year old son lives in Florida but I do not. I received a call from him this morning that he had some kind of breakdown between last night and today and when he went to work today he actually asked his Manager to drive him to the Hospital and ask for assistance. My son called me telling me that he had been suffering with depression for a long time and felt that this was the only way he would be able to get some help or direction on how to get help. They are holding him for the 72 hours as far as I know, but if the Baker Act is involuntary, who would have made the decision in this case when my son is the one who basically turned himself in? Or his Manager that drove him there? I’m confused and freightened for him now.
Please call our office at 800-782-2878 for immediate assistance.
My son is 14 and was baker acted at his school by the resource officer. He got in trouble in class and was sent to the principals office, he then wrote on paper that he wanted to die, because he was angry. The school only tried to call my cell phone 2x’s. They did not call my work number or either Grandparents numbers who are on his emergency contact list. I don’t believe he should have been baker acted. Now at the hospital they asked me to allow them to put him on Prozac 4 times and I said no, so they had a hospital therapist call me and ask again for the 5th time about Prozac. To which I again said no, he began to tell me how I was not being a good parent because of my dismissal of Prozac. I was also under the impression that if I continued to refuse, my son would have to stay in the hospital longer. So I finally caved in after feeling pressured and bullied. He is now a “voluntary patient ” so we requested his release, to which I was told he might get out or the doctor will re- baler act him to stay longer. Do I have any rights in this matter? He is not at risk of hurting himself, he has a loving home and family to come to, and we have plans to get him grief counseling. Please help!
Yes you have rights! Someone will contact you but you can also call us at 1-800-782-2878.
My wife was baker acted based on a comment made to a meddling “friend”. On June 23rd she had a Dysport / botox injection for lip wrinkles. It didn’t stay localized and
began to traverse her body making her very ill with a wide range of symptoms. Diarrhea for weeks on end, bouts of severe anxiety then depression, extreme fatigue just
to name a few. If you read about Dysport / botox reactions you will see that it can literally disable you and also cause dementia like symptoms which my wife is now suffering from but was able to maintain our home and function at work. Most people start to recover from these symptoms around 6 months but can take as long as a year or more. My wife, talking to this meddling friend mentions needing a gun or a rope to end it all. Now I can tell you, she did not need to ask to borrow a gun or rope. I have plenty of both within arms reach of her every day. If she had been serious. I know she wasnt. Even after I informed the officer that all was well there was no stopping them. I explained they would be
doing more harm than good by doing this involuntary baker act. I also explained that she had an appointment with a mental health professional in the upcoming month for her
anxiety and depression swings. I told them she would lose her job and this would be devastating to her emotionally and us financially not to mention the trauma of being placed
in a cop car in front of her peers. They wouldn’t listen. Didn’t care. Didn’t give it a second thought about pulling the last Jenga block out from under her. All in the name of
“keeping her safe”. And like Gladys says they have already diagnosed her with “psychosis” and want to treat with drugs. This is after I informed them that the Dysport / botox
is causing it and she would be fine in 3 or so months most likely. You are nothing to them. I have done my research, hundreds of hours of reading on it and even though they
have never heard of such, somehow you are stupid and they are smart. I feel powerless to help her. She cant sleep at the Winter Haven hospital facility due to the “real” crazies
yelling all night. The stress and trauma she has been through and the fact she has no say so in what is happening to her has compounded her mental issues of anxiety,
depressing and ability to cope. It seems I can do nothing about it. I want her treated for her primary issue that is causing the “psychosis” and that is the reaction to the botox.
The only treatment for that is: Ride it out. Nothing can be done. You have to let it wear off on its own. In the mean time she only needs the anxiety and depression kept in
check. This meddling moron and the Polk county Sheriffs office can sleep well because in their mind they have saved someone. I’m here to tell everyone that they only ruined
the emotional and financial life that was already suffering and was doing the best she could to ride it out. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks, James PS. Winter Haven hospital sucks. Don’t go there.
Thank you for contacting us someone from our office will contact you.
There has been significant research on Dementia, and the types of Dementia associated with other medical condition(s) or disorder(s) / disease(s): Vascular Dementia, Dementia due to Head Trauma, Dementia due to Parkinson Disease, Dementia due to Huntington’s Disease, Dementia due to Pick’s Disease, Dementia due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Dementia due to HIV, Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type, etc.. It appears that Alzheimer” Disease is a “neurological disorder” that can be diagnosed by either a psychiatrist or a neurologist? A psychiatrist can diagnose dementia even though it is a neurological disorder because of the psychotic symptoms. Individuals with various types of dementia noted above “should not” be Baker Act because their psychotic symptoms are secondary to their main disorder / type of dementia. Once a person is Baker Act, it appears the ultimate focus of the attending psychiatrist is a main diagnosis of Psychosis with a regiment of anti-psychotic drugs and a total disregard or treatment of the actual main disorder / type of Dementia. Individuals that suffer from the types of Dementia noted above can and should be treated by neurologist in a setting other than a State Mental Health Care Facility whose sole objective is involuntary treatment justified by a diagnosis of Psychosis. The individuals that suffer from the types of Dementia noted above should receive health care that addresses their specific type of Dementia and be afforded the quality of life that is diminished under the Baker Act. I strongly believe that it is an abuse to place individuals with the types of Dementia noted above under the Baker Act where they are deprived of the medication that address their type of Dementia and instead are given anti-psychotic drugs. Will a Florida State Mental Health Care attending psychiatrist diagnose Vascular Dementia, Dementia due to Head Trauma, Dementia due to Parkinson Disease, Dementia due to Huntington’s Disease, Dementia due to Pick’s Disease, Dementia due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Dementia due to HIV and Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type? More importantly, will a Florida State Mental Health Care attending psychiatrist administer treatment for Vascular Dementia, Dementia due to Head Trauma, Dementia due to Parkinson Disease, Dementia due to Huntington’s Disease, Dementia due to Pick’s Disease, Dementia due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Dementia due to HIV and Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type?
Apparently not knowing who the POTUS is or not knowing if a woman has ever been nominated for POTUS is grounds for baker acting a 90 year old, 27 year retired three war veteran. The conversation between the veteran and the person(s) involved that led to him being committed is recorded on video and at no time is there any indication that he was a threat to himself or others or fit the requirement for commitment. He is in independent living of a senior services community and pays out of pocket for daily assistance with meds management, getting to and from meals, showering and other daily tasks. A UTI and several TIAs over the past year have led to short term memory loss and is “characterized” as early onset of dementia, the very reason why he pays for the extra daily care he receives. No one involved in his commitment bothered to ask the ON SITE medical personnel about his situation, nor was any of his family contacted. In fact, the home aid, who had just delivered and set up his meal 20 minutes earlier, returned to his room to help him clean up and get ready for bed. She had no knowledge of what transpired and looked around for him but couldn’t find him. After her discovery, the family was called and informed that he was baker acted, for the very same reason he receives the care he pays for! What is truly disgusting is the conversation between the deputy and the veteran. At one point, while the veteran was answering questions about his military service, the deputy asks “…why were you in Korea…to bomb the country?” Really? You ask a 90 year old veteran a question like that? The veteran had graduated from Hospice care in June. There are multiple binders in plain view of the officers that say, in bold letters, “Hospice”. There is a bin of medical supplies sitting next to them and a daily log that his healthcare providers and family use to communicate about daily happenings and routines. One of the deputies sees the binder and flips through some pages. There is a large white board calendar and 3 plaques located around his apartment that explain to the veteran where he’s at and why he’s there. The families contact information is written in bold letters on his calendar and numerous notes are posted here and there. The veteran even states that he is unable to contact his son. All the evidence that the veteran is under medical care is completely overlooked by two deputies, a security guard and two paramedics. The video conversation clearly shows the extreme arrogance of the deputy from numerous and confusing questions and statements directed at/to the veteran. The veterans wife passed away in 1995 and his eldest child passed in 2014. He has stated thousands of times over the years that he is ready to die and never wanted to live to be 90 years old. He states it daily and his stock answer to questions of how he’s feeling is “Weak, wobbly and ready to die”. The veteran has never mentioned anything about suicide or hurting himself or anyone else. In fact, in answering the security guards question if he was thinking about suicide, the veteran says no and explains that that would mean an eternity in hell.
The beginning of the video clearly shows that the veteran was frustrated by not being able to dial out from his phone. He frequently “Sun Downs” and calls his son for reassurance. In his frustration, the veteran lays his phone in his lap and says to himself “Jesus please, let me die, let me die:” Something he always says and is also on video hundreds of times. One of the misdials actually connects to the front desk of the facility and the attendant is listening to what he’s saying. Not being informed of the veterans situation, the attendant has a security guard check up on him. When the security guard, also not aware of the veterans situation, told him he called the front desk, the veteran replies “…wait, I didn’t call the front desk”. Is there anything the can be done on behalf of the veteran?
This is a heartbreaking story. Someone from our office will contact you.
My mom seems to be in the middle stages of dementia and is actively having paranoid delusions of people chasing her and that I and my sisters are trying to kill her. As a result, she was spending time away from her house, driving her car late at night on the highway until she ran her car off the road because she thought someone was chasing her. Since then, she has kept her rental car pass the due date and went missing from home. I contacted the police to help me find her because I was 1) worried about her safety and 2) worried about the safety of others as she was driving late at night and highly paranoid. The police upon finding her confirmed what I had noted of her behavior and stated that it may be best that she get help–she also attempted to run away from the police the first time they approached her. She has since been Baker Acted. I don’t know if I did the right thing. I don’t have a car, so I had no way to look for her late at night, and I knew her behavior had only gotten significantly worse over the past month (this has been going for 2 years). She seems to have anosognosia and has no zero insight into her actions or words. Her self-care has diminished significantly as well, and she doesn’t listen to me or my sisters about her behavioral changes and that she needs to make an appointment to see a doctor. Was it wrong of me to call the police to find her? I feel really awful about this, and now she states that she hates me and wants me to leave her home. I am afraid to leave her (and my sisters do not have a great relationship with her)…was it bad to allow the police to Baker Act her? Otherwise, she might have been arrested for keeping the rental car (as they were about to report it stolen). Moreover, she may have just gotten back out on the road to drive, or she may have even left the state…I don’t know. I’m very scared in this moment of what will happen next.
I am sorry to learn about the situation with you mother. Someone from our office will contact you.
Armana, I know you love your mother and wish the best for her. You stated it “seemed” that your mother was in the middle stages of dementia. You also stated that her behaviour was ongoing for 2 years. Did you ever have your mother diagnosed? There are many types of dementia. It is critical to have a physician ascertain the type of dementia, because the type of dementia will determine the type of treatment. Waiting two years did not help your mother’s situation and her conditioned worsened within that period of time. The Baker Act was a quick fix to your mother’s predicament, but it was not the solution. I hope that by now, your mother has been properly diagnosed and is on medication.
Hello, my 6 year old son was Baker Acted in May of this year because of something he said offhand. Someone overheard him and reported it to the teacher. He was not agitated or upset. As part of his 504 accommodations (he has ADHD) he was sent to the school counselor to talk. The school counselor asked him why he was there so he repeated the words. As part of school protocol apparently school administration told the counselor to call the police and report it. By the time I arrived at the school, cops were there and my son had been Baker Acted (though those specific words were not spoken to me. I was told that once they were called they had to take him to get evaluated). Again, my son was not agitated or upset, or anything like that. The counselor told me she did not think he was a threat. His teacher had at this time not been informed that the police were called. When she found out she yelled at the police and told them they had it all wrong, that had she known the police were going to be called she never would’ve sent him to the office. I told the police that I did not believe he was a danger to himself or others. He was very compliant with the police, happy even, speaking and playing with them. I watched him holding the police officer’s hand, skipping happily to the cop car while I held back tears. I thought it was weird that they questioned him without myself being present. I don’t know if that’s allowed with the Baker Act. Luckily, after 7 HOURS! at the E.R. the child psychologist and social workers deemed that he was not a threat to himself or others and rescinded the Baker Act and he was allowed to come home. I’m concerned about this being on his record (public, medical, and school). Besides requesting his records and having them amended, I don’t know if there’s anything to be done. Was he wrongly Baker Acted? Is that even possible since it’s so subjective? Please help
I am very sorry to learn about this situation and someone from our organization will contact you via your email address to answer your questions.
I just experienced a similar situation with my 10 year old child with autism. 10 hours later we are in bed and very upset.
Please consider filing an abuse form on our website.
You can’t be committed unless there is PROOF as in a text that you have threatened suicide or murder. The thought is to diffuse the situation and protect you when you are not thinking. These scenarios aren’t real and offensive frankly. You’re depressed so get committed? FALSE. As false as much I read here. I’ve had the opposite experience and saved at least one life because of this law. It is difficult to enact so these scenarios wouldn’t be cause and nobody would listen to them. Pleas educate yourself!
We receive calls on our Hotline every week that report abuse of the Baker Act. Truly offensive abuse and we will continue to document and expose this abuse as long as human rights are being violated.
That’s great but some evil people use it as revenge unfortunately
All they needed to get me baker acted was a misunderstanding and a lie of a teacher. They didn’t have proof. All they had was blind trust towards the adults. Not everything in the world is commited with evidence.
I am sorry to hear that you were Baker Acted. If you feel that the Baker Act was unjust, please fill out an abuse form on our website or call us at 800-782-2878
I’m in the simular boat.Can I get information also?Thanks.
I have undiagnosed High Functioning Autism & live with an undiagnosed Sociopathic & may be also Aspie mother.I tried to organize an introvention for her 2 years ago & this past year she triggered my symptoms and had me Baker Acted as revenge 4 times for standing my ground & playing her game.Odviously,she played better.I just threatend her to have her Baker Acted by I have other issues with Anxiety so need advication because I’m too shy (Socially Phobic) at times to speak (Selective Mutism) & go places (avoident personality disorder related homeboundness) so I’m having to ”’threaten & beg”’ for help.I’m not sure what all I can do.Again I can be extreamly shy.
PUBLIC CORRUPTED Attorney General PAM BONDI and Medicare Fraudster Governor RICK SCOTT engaged in the Public Corruption Cover Up for Public Corrupted Crooked Judge Sherra Winesett, Crooked Corrupted Ringleader Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, Co-conspirator’s Fort Myers POLICE CHIEF DOUG BAKER, Det. MATTHEW SELLERS, Florida State attorney Stephen B. Russell, Det. John Paccione, Det. Mark Zellman, attorney Thomas S. Heidkamp, Miriam Pacheco (Fact) attorney general PAM BONDI, Governor Rick Scott, Sheriff Mike Scott, Florida State attorney Stephen B. Russell, Det. Kenny Ellis, engaged in Organized Public Corruption Cover Up’s and (Fact) Solicitation of Murder for Hire Case No.:13-36825. And Lee County Real Estate Verified Crossclaim Case No.:08-CA-007214 ORGANIZED PUBLIC CORRUPTION COVER UP (Fact) THEY ARE setting people up, Framing People, Falsely Arresting, Strong-arming, Extorting, Racketeering, MURDERING AND KILLING PEOPLE FOR THEIR REAL ESTATE PROPERTY’S and Business’s in Lee County Florida this outrageous out of control public corruption has turned into the most horrific epidemic in the Nation in Lee County in the (Fact) State of Florida these named and identified Public Corrupted Officials have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS!!!
ITS TIME TO JAIL Mediacare Fraudster GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, Attorney General PAM BONDI, Florida State Attorney Stephen B. Russell, Sheriff Mike Scott, Police Chief DOUG BAKER, Det MATTHEW SELLERS,
Judge Sherra Winesett and their Lee County Public Corrupted Co-conspirator’s
Lee County Sheriff Department Has Broken The Law A Dozen Times Since 2011 http://wp.me/p5O6L8-cy
Author: Nathan Dimoff Posted: 3/27/15 When is to much corruption to much? We were asked to look into the Lee County Sheriffs Department
Lee County Sheriff Department Has Broken The Law A Dozen Times Since…
Author: Nathan Dimoff Posted: 3/27/15 When is to much corruption to much? We were asked to look into the Lee County Sheriffs Department for multiple complaints against them ranging from stalking, t…
http://www.enzovincenzi.com
WORD!!! Orange County Sheriff Office included….
Hello my name is Robert and I have Autism spectrum disorder and my mom keeps threatening to have me baker acted because she thinks I don’t take my meds when I do just because I have a bad attitude towards her.what can I do to prevent this from happening I don’t wanna go through this again it’s scary for me
Hi Robert, Someone from our organization will email you and give you the information you need.
I’m in the same kind of boat.I hope you can find the support you need.
Just got released from a facility after being taken by Sarasota County Police under the Baker Act. I had been drinking and had made the mistake of calling friends and taking about how badly I felt about the death of my wife and indicating that I was considering giving my dogs for adoption and ending my misery.
Someone reported reported this to the police in the hope that they would check on me to make sure that I was ok. The police came to my house and took me into custody. They handcuffed, treated me like a criminal, and took me to a mental facility without my permission. I pleaded with them not to do so as I had two dogs that needed care and they said that they would take care of them. Their care was to take them to a local shelter even though my neighbors offered to care for them in my home. They told my neighbor they could not do this a had not given them permission to do so.
As a result, I have not been able to get them back right away because one had fleas that I assumed they got at the shelter even though they just received flea prevention meds the week before. My other dog had a limp when friends of mine picked up my dogs the next day. While my dog had been having some difficulties with his hips I can only assume that the problem was made worse at the shelter. I am sure that both of my dogs (both rescuer) were traumatized by the experience. Now I have been I delayed in getting my dogs back.
As a result of this experience, I no longer feel safe in my own home from the people that are supposed to protect me. The Baker Act as currently administered must be changed and only sufficiently trained people be allowed to enforce it.
One other thing is that I now will be require to pay for this service with monies that I do not have.
Bill Rardin
It isn’t hard to see how the Florida Baker Act has been misused by stalkers and fraudsters but no one fixes it.
I to t ally agree! Who is going to do something about this?! I am tired of being my family’s joke. Anytime daddy’s princesses get mad because mom says NO here comes the deputy….”she said she wants to die”…..and the mistreatment and humiliation begins.
I am so sorry what happend to you Shirley but you are not alone. I live and experience similar situation with my family I was baker acted by my own family members. And I feel hopeless with the orange county police. I am the victim and I made the call for help to report a child molester out there, but instead I get baker acted, do to my previous record 10 years ago sister and boyfriend abused me and acted dirty on me. Do you know any information how to clear your name and get this record deleted?
More time needs to be spent with patients or people at the start ..a perdon can suffer a brakedown for manny reaons and every1 has them ..breakdowns ….for example when my grandfather died I broke down and I cryed and was unhappy for a lil while, so should have I have been locked up ..heck I feel left out ..lol…but seriously I pushed on and people will push on and its better to give a lil support or help then lock people up agianst there will ..
I was glad to come upon your site. I’ve tried to pull up information everywhere I could on the Internet about the Baker Act, but there was very few complaints in which I thought odd.
I recently had an emotional breakdown. I did not attempt suicide, nor had I done anything to be a harm to others. My mistake was in saying I wished I didn’t live. That’s all it takes to get you admitted to a mental health care facility. The place was horrible, nurses and other staff members were rude and insensitive. I felt like a convict in prison.
I wonder if anyone out there has unfairly been put in such a place for less reasons. I believe someone should review this law that makes decisions without your voluntary consent.
It is so unfortunate that so many are involuntarily committed when the legal criteria for the Baker Act are not met. I wonder if you have looked on our website and seen some of the information about alternative treatment? Many people are unaware that there are medical professionals who specialize in helping individuals when they are experiencing stress and mental health symptoms. These medical professionals are non-psychiatric and they perform medical testing (ie. blood tests, thyroid tests, etc. ) to detect any potential underlying physical cause for the unwanted symptoms that too often are deemed a mental health disorder. Here is a list of medical professionals who are also human rights advocates and perhaps may be able to give you more information. https://www.cchrflorida.org/recommended-medical-list.html
Some time ago my wife and I not knowing what else to do, had our son Baker acted. He is Autistic and was going thru an Autistic Tantrum. My son is 225 pounds and 6 foot, so we where afraid for his safety as well as our own. When the police arrived they tackled him to the ground and cuffed his hands behind his back. The child was absolutly terrified. The police only made matters worse. He was screeming, Dad help me. I was absolutly helpless and felt like I failed to protect him. The police told me to get out of there way. He was then transfered to the centers at Ocala Florida, where he was ” Processed ” After 2 days he was released to us with instructions to bring him to a Psychiatric appointment. At the appointment I asked the Psychiatrist if he was qualified to treat an Autistic child, he replied no I am not, and no one at the centers is. As a matter of fact no one in the Baker Act Facility was trained to treat or analize an Autistic child. This information troubled me because all I could think about was the many other Autistic Children that were Baker acted for the purpose of getting some help. I want to encourage parents not to Baker Act there Autistic child for the purpose of getting him/her any help. It is not available under the Baker act program. What is available under the Baker Act Program is a lot of humiliation and a lock up type of a being jailed atmosphere. It seems to be the opposite of the way an individual should be treated under His/Her Circumstances.
I’m so sorry.I just realized I have High Functioning Autism myself.Good Luck
I am also autistic and said the wrong thing to a friend making it sound like I was being suicidal, but I meant I wanted to just run away from the situation, when the cops came I talked to them calmly and told them I wanted to go to bed and felt like the situation was resolved, they, out of nowhere arrested me and I was beyond scared and had a major meltdown, rolled up into a ball and cried. They forced me in the hospital and I could not stop crying and was endlessly begging to leave, they took away all my belongings and left me alone, trapped in a scary room with unfamiliar people, I begged them that I wanted to see my family and they didn’t allow visitors, the nurses were drawing blood from me improperly and caused another major panic attack. I felt like I was criminalized and imprisoned. They wouldn’t feed me and they wouldn’t give me water unless I begged endlessly. This is a traumatic experience and only makes my anxiety issues worse, and may have caused me PTSD. This act should be outlawed!!!
Dear Missy, I am so very sorry to hear of your ordeal. If you wish you may file an abuse complaint on our website or call us to report the abuse at 727-442-8820.
I want to send you pictures of my bruises from my terrible baker’s experience at Halafax hospital, I am still traumatized by it!
Oh me too! This misconduct and abuse of authority is out of control. When my bratty daughters get mad at me they call the cops “she said she wants to die”!! The mistreatment begins!
I was just hospitalized in the “Pod” at Halifax 2 days ago. I’m covered in bruises, was given multiple injections without my consent, and all of this to be told that “actually, you don’t fit the criteria to be Baker Acted; we’re releasing you”. I’m traumatized. To make matters worse, there’s an abusive person who’s trying to get me involuntarily committed again by collecting affadavits. I’m in the process of admitting to a residential treatment center for longer term care, but in the mean time this person is telling everyone in my friend group that I’m a “psychopathic toddler”. She has a key to my house. I’m terrified and don’t know what to do to protect myself.
Please seek immediate help to protect yourself.