Florida will have new guidelines for emergency mental health services starting next week. Commonly referred to as the Baker Act, it focuses on crisis services for people living with a mental illness and provides them with involuntary treatment during a potential medical emergency.Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed HB 7021 into law. This new legislation facilitates access to involuntary services and allows law enforcement officers to more easily request involuntary exams when necessary. WESH 2 spoke with Cherlette McCullough, a licensed mental health therapist. She said this change is an absolute necessity because “when a person is in that place, they don’t really know how to get back to stabilization.” At the same time, McCullough wants to make sure officers get the proper training. “How are we going to make sure police officers don’t use this or overuse it?” McCullough said. “Think about what kind of training they need now so that this is something that flows to be positive in the community.” Along with the legislation, the governor approved $50 million for the Department of Children and Families to provide mental health and substance abuse care. McCullough hopes this money goes to the right places. “When will those funds be released? How will they really be distributed to our community?” McCullough said. The new law takes effect on July 1. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Line. Click here to find a list of free resources in Central Florida.
Florida will have new guidelines for emergency mental health services starting next week.
Commonly referred to as the Baker Act, it focuses on crisis services for people living with a mental illness and provides them with involuntary treatment during a potential medical emergency.
Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed HB 7021 into law. This new legislation facilitates access to involuntary services and allows law enforcement officers to more easily request involuntary exams when necessary.
WESH 2 spoke with Cherlette McCullough, a licensed mental health therapist. She said that this change is an absolute necessity because “when a person is in that place, they don’t know how to go back to stabilization.”
At the same time, McCullough wants to make sure officers get the proper training.
“How are we going to make sure police officers don’t use this or overuse it?” McCullough said. “Think about what kind of training they need right now so that’s something that flows to be positive in the community.”
Along with the legislation, the governor approved $50 million for the Department of Children and Families to provide mental health and substance abuse care.
McCullough hopes this money goes to the right places.
“When will those funds be released? How will they really be distributed to our community?” McCullough said.
The new law takes effect on July 1.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Line.
Click here to find a list of free resources in Central Florida.
#coming #Floridas #mental #health #act
Image Source : www.wesh.com
