Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Diane Stein, center, and members of her organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights, have been working for years to advocate for parents and help them navigate issues involving the Baker Act.
When it comes to children, Florida s law regarding involuntary commitments for psychiatric treatment is applied inconsistently.
For more than 15 years, the number of children who are referred for involuntary psychiatric evaluations under the Baker Act has increased at a faster pace than any other age group. The law was not designed to be used on children and many child advocates are pushing for change. They say there should be provisions to ensure children are treated differently than adults. In the fifth and final part of this series on the Baker Act, we examine the challenges faced by advocates who want to improve the law.
Hartsfield Elementary School
Hartsfield Elementary School in Tallahassee employs a concept called conscious discipline to help address early childhood trauma and keep children from being committed under the Baker Act.
To keep children from being committed under the Baker Act, some schools are addressing early childhood trauma and changing their approach to student discipline.
Among the best predictors of whether a child will be taken for an involuntary psychiatric exam under the Baker Act in Florida, is a history of trauma. But school psychologists, who know most about how to treat early childhood trauma, are in short supply. So, often times, resource officers are called to intervene when children are struggling. Mental health experts say it doesn t have to be that way and some schools are changing their approach to student discipline. In the fourth part of this series on the Baker Act, we explore what one school in Tallahassee is doing to address early childhood trauma and avoid
/
Hartsfield Elementary School in Tallahassee employs a concept called conscious discipline to help address early childhood trauma and keep children from being committed under the Baker Act.
To keep children from being committed under the Baker Act, some schools are addressing early childhood trauma and changing their approach to student discipline.
Among the best predictors of whether a child will be taken for an involuntary psychiatric exam under the Baker Act in Florida, is a history of trauma. But school psychologists, who know most about how to treat early childhood trauma, are in short supply. So, often times, resource officers are called to intervene when children are struggling. Mental health experts say it doesn t have to be that way and some schools are changing their approach to student discipline. In the fourth part of this series on the Baker Act, we explore what one school in Tallahassee is doing to address early childhood trauma and avoid having children committed.