Baker Act

FLORIDA-SPECIFIC

Fla. Stat. ch. 394; involuntary examination: §394.463

Florida's Baker Act covers involuntary examination of a person who may have a mental illness. Plain-language summary only — verify against the official statute before acting.

Involuntary examination criteria — plain languageThere is reason to believe the person has a mental illness, andBecause of the mental illness, the person has refused a voluntary examination, or is unable to determine for themselves whether examination is necessary, andWithout care or treatment, the person is likely to suffer from neglect or refuse care for themselves, posing a real and present threat of substantial harm to their well-being, orThere is a substantial likelihood that without care or treatment the person will cause serious bodily harm to themselves or others in the near future, as evidenced by recent behavior.

Field stepsComplete the required Florida forms and transport to the nearest designated receiving facility per agency policy.Document the specific recent behavior supporting each criterion in the official report system — not in this app.A law-enforcement-initiated examination is not an arrest; treat and document it accordingly.