The 1996 Baker Act reforms included greater protections for persons in the commitment system, strengthened informed consent and guardian advocacy provisions, expanded notice requirements, and provisions for suspension and withdrawl of receiving and treatment facility designations. Florida is the only state in the country that collects this type of involuntary examination and civil commitment data -- over 80,000 examinations a year. Florida is unique in being able to analyze the patterns of involuntary examinations by various demographic characteristics, by type of professional initiating the examination, by type of self-neglect or danger exhibited by the person, and many other factors.
1997 Annual Report
- The first annual report, published in 1998, presents an analysis of data for 1997at the state, district, county and facility levels. Following the analyses, a discussion of changes in the Baker Act forms and future analyses is provided. The report is provided as a pdf document, 43 pages long, with three appendices which provide an overview of the Baker Act, a map of Florida counties and CFS districts, and a list of Baker Act facilities.
1998 Annual Report
- The second annual report, published in 1999, reviews data collected during calendar year 1998. It follows the same format as the first annual report. It is also a pdf document, 42 pages in length, with three appendices. Next year's report will focus on the new Baker Act forms and procedures that were implemented in December 1998. These changes will enhance Florida's ability to monitor and examine the civil commitment system.
1999 Annual Report
- This year's report reviews the 1998 changes in forms and procedures. It is 49 pages in length and has three appendices: an overview of the Baker Act, a map of counties and districts, and a list of current receiving facilities.
2000 Annual Report
- This year's report reviews the 1999 changes in forms and procedures as well as providing expanded analyses based on more refined age categories, of individuals with more than one initiation, and analyses based on Judicial Circuits. It is 53 pages in length and has three appendices: an overview of the Baker Act, a map of Florida by counties and districts, and a list of current receiving facilities.
More about the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy where the report was authored.
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