FL S1790

Creates a workgroup within the Department of Children and Families to evaluate methods to improve the operational effectiveness of the Baker Act and recommend changes to laws, rules, and agency policies.

Workgroup must evaluate and make recommendations on: timeframe for initial patient assessment, use of advanced registered nurse practitioners to rescind commitments, telemedicine use for evaluation and care, the 7-day followup care requirement for outpatient providers, and other areas for improvement.

Workgroup membership consists of 16 specified stakeholders representing hospitals, law enforcement, judiciary, public defenders, state attorneys, physicians, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health councils, and state agencies.

Workgroup members must be appointed by June 1, 2018, with first meeting before July 1, 2018, draft recommendations reviewed before September 1, 2018, and final report submitted by November 1, 2018 to legislative leaders and state agency secretaries.

Individual workgroup members are responsible for their own travel expenses to meetings held in Tallahassee.