In 2–3 pages, address the following: Florida state laws for involuntary psychiatric holds for child and adult psychiatric emergencies. Include who can hold a patient and for how long, who can release the emergency hold, and who can pick up the patient after a hold is released.

In 2–3 pages, address the following: Florida state laws for involuntary psychiatric holds for child and adult psychiatric emergencies. Include who can hold a patient and for how long, who can release the emergency hold, and who can pick up the patient after a hold is released.

There are two ways a person can be held involuntarily in Florida when safety is compromised. The Baker Act (BA) is a short-term involuntary placement of a person with questionable cognition who appears to be a danger to self and others in a designated psychiatric facility until the need for extended hospitalization is determined. It should be at most 72 hours. The second is the Marchman Act (MA) which is meant to assist those struggling with substance abuse and should not exceed 72 hours. During the 72-hour psych hold for BA or MA, a specific set of guidelines is geared towards stabilizing the individual and validating the case to determine if there is a need for a more extended stay in the facility. In Florida, if a competent court adjudicates a person incapacitated under part V of chapter 744 of the Mental Health Act, a guardian is appointed to make health decisions on behalf of the individual. A child’s biological parents or court-appointed legal guardians should make decisions for the minor. Due to the significance of involuntarily placing a person in a treatment facility, specific measures must be met by the individual to qualify. These measures include the person’s inability to make a rational decision about self. If the person declines examination, the person is at risk of harming himself or manifesting adverse effects from self-neglect, and the person poses a risk of harming others. It also includes when the person is using substances that could cause harm to him or others and cannot decide on his own to seek help for addiction. Those authorized to file and place a hold on a patient include a doctor, law enforcement officer, spouse, parents, or a close relative of the person involved. In some extreme conditions, a non-relative, such as a roommate