Baker and Marchman Acts
Florida citizens who might harm themselves or others may be held involuntarily for assessment up to 72 hours. The statute for mental illness is called the Baker Act; for substance abuse, the Marchman Act. There are very specific criteria for committing someone under the Baker Act or Marchman Act. In this course, Martha R. Lenderman, MSW, explains how to identify patients legally eligible to be held under these statutes and the requirements under the Florida Mental Health Act for appropriate admission and discharge in compliance with the law.
Samaritan Physicians: Successful completion of this activity will qualify Samaritan physicians for annual policy discounts. Upon completion, please print your certificate and submit to Samaritan for consideration.
Target Audience
Psychologists (Instruction Level: Intermediate), Psychiatrists, Emergency Room Physicians, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Nurses, Case Managers, Admission and Discharge Staff, Risk Managers and Legal Advisers.
Baptist Health South Florida is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Baptist Health South Florida maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Learning Objectives
- Adhere to the Baker Act voluntary and involuntary examination.
- Identify which patients are legally eligible to consent to admission and treatment.
- Discuss requirements under the Florida Mental Health Act including appropriate admission and discharge in compliance with the law.
- Implement the steps for involuntary admission of persons under Florida’s Marchman Act for substance abuse impairment.
- Consistently comply with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) and the Florida Baker Act laws.
Martha R. Lenderman, MSW
Former Program Coordinator, Department of Children and Families
Consultant, Lenderman & Associates, Pinellas Park, Florida
Martha R. Lenderman, MSW, faculty for this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies* to disclose and has indicated that the presentation or discussion will not include off-label or unapproved product usage.
Barry Crown, Ph.D., conference director for this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* to disclose.
Non-faculty contributors and others involved in the planning, development, and editing/review of the content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose with ineligible companies*.
*Ineligible companies -- Companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Baptist Health has been re-surveyed by the ACCME and awarded Commendation for 6 years as a provider of CME for physicians.
Baptist Health South Florida designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Available Credit
- 2.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 2.50 Psychology CE
- 2.50 General certificate of attendance
- 2.50 Florida Board of Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors
- 2.50 Nurse Practitioners
- 2.50 Florida Board of Nursing
- 2.50 Florida Board of Psychology
Required Hardware/Software
PC/Mac UsersThis site is supported on the most recent stable releases of the following browsers:
| |||||||
Mobile UsersThis site is supported on the following mobile devices:
| |||||||
Technical SupportIf you are experiencing technical difficulties or have received an error message, please send an email to CME@baptisthealth.net and include a print screen of the error message, your browser name and version, username and URL where the error occurred. You can expect a response within 48 hours. |