Medicaid Costs and Diagnostic Characteristics of Florida Adults Subjected to Baker Act Examination

Publication Date: 6/1/2004

Download Document

Description:

Evidence of both a mental illness and of harm to self or others (or of selfneglect) are required to initiate a short-term involuntary psychiatric or "Baker Act" examination in the state of Florida. Th is data brief examines the characteristics of adults who underwent at least one Baker Act (BA) examination and were enrolled in Medicaid during a 12-month period. Th e description of individuals with multiple BA exams is timely given the passage of an outpatient commitment statute in the 2004 Florida legislative session, which uses multiple admissions to BA facilities as a criterion for outpatient commitments.