'Florida’s families are going to benefit. Our communities are going to benefit. The governor’s approval of this law today puts all Floridians grappling with mental health and substance abuse issues on a positive trajectory'
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed HB 7021, a $50 million proposal that supporters say will bring landmark reforms to Florida’s Baker and Marchman acts.
Republican Rep. Patt Maney, a retired judge from Shalimar and the chief sponsor, called the reforms “monumental,” in a statement.
“Florida’s families are going to benefit. Our communities are going to benefit. The governor’s approval of this law today puts all Floridians grappling with mental health and substance abuse issues on a positive trajectory.”
Republican Sen. Erin Grall, a Ft. Pierce attorney, sponsored the companion, SB 1784. Maney also credits Republican Rep. Traci Koster, a Tampa attorney who chairs the Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee.
The 1970s era Baker and Marchman acts govern the involuntary commitment of people with mental health and substance use disorders, respectively.
Critics say the system, which involves the courts, law enforcement, social services, and behavioral health care, is under-resourced, too complicated to navigate, and too difficult to access.
Among other things, the measure would give law enforcement more discretion when it comes to detaining a suspect for an involuntary examination, Maney said.
Other provisions would streamline intake procedures, enhance the use of remote proceedings, lift a cap on crisis stabilization beds, and make it easier for minors to obtain voluntary treatment, Maney said. Some of the money will fund data collection to guide future reforms, Maney told the Bar News in an April interview.
“Currently, they do not collect Marchman Act data, and for Baker Acts, they currently do not collect data on when somebody is taken for an involuntary examination that does not qualify because that person may have dementia, Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, those sorts of things,” Maney said.
By 2026, the Legislature should have the information it needs to determine how many of those patients could be better served through other agencies, such as Veterans’ Affairs, Elder Affairs, or the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Maney said.
The 150-page bill was a moving target through most of the 60-day session as sponsors continuously revised the language to satisfy stakeholders. The bills passed unanimously, largely based on the sponsors’ assurances.
Maney also credited the strong support of House Speaker Paul Renner of Palm Coast, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo of Naples, both attorneys.
One of the biggest challenges to reform is finding the right balance between public safety and individual liberty, Maney said.
“These improvements to address outdated deficiencies in our mental health care system are long overdue and I am thankful for the Governor’s signature to put them into action,” Maney said. “The crusade continues, and I look forward to continuing my work across the aisles to bring forth laws that make sense for some of our most vulnerable Floridians.”
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