# Baker Acted



## squrt29batt12 (Sep 12, 2009)

Got woken up at 1am last night for a 16yo F, took her to a pedi psych facility, baker acted because her parents found out she was taking xanax at school. Man, does the law now protect anyone these days? LOL

A simple butt whooping would've done the job


----------



## DV_EMT (Sep 12, 2009)

haha... did he use a rolling pin?


----------



## rescue99 (Sep 12, 2009)

squrt29batt12 said:


> Got woken up at 1am last night for a 16yo F, took her to a pedi psych facility, baker acted because her parents found out she was taking xanax at school. Man, does the law now protect anyone these days? LOL
> 
> A simple butt whooping would've done the job



If this were my kid and I tried other avenues already without success...I would do what I need to do to save my child!! I highly suspect there's a lot more to this story.


----------



## squrt29batt12 (Sep 12, 2009)

rescue99 said:


> If this were my kid and I tried other avenues already without success...I would do what I need to do to save my child!! I highly suspect there's a lot more to this story.



Believe me, I would too lol, but there's only so much we can ask and so far we can go with the questions to the parents/pt.


----------



## VentMedic (Sep 12, 2009)

First, what do you know about the Baker Act?

The Baker Act has been reformed over the years and it is not meant to be the stereotype strait jacket haul 'em away to a locked cell it was just a few years ago. Although, due to lack of education amongst those in EMS, some still have perceive it as just an Act for nut cases.  It is really a very extensive Act.

Also, if she has a drug problem Florida has the Marchman Act. However, this may have been a multifactorial problem to which the Baker Act is one place to start. 

This is a chance for all involved to have a time out. The daughter with be seen within 24 hours and may be released to either her parents or to an appointed guardian be it another family member or someone appointed from the courts. This may be a better situation then to allow something to esculate out of control and someone is harmed.

Unless you are a trained professional in mental health, interfering with these cases may not be the best idea. Since this was a 0100 call, the LEO probably wrote an extensive report to cover him/herself unless the family had contacted their own mental health practitioner. It will be either the LEO or the mental health practitioner that makes the determination for the hold and not the parents unless they filed a petition with the courts. If you believe the child is wronged, either the LEO or the mental health practitioner would be the one you present your concerns to and not the parents. However, expect to do a lot of paperwork to back up what you argue for. You may only be seeing 5 minutes out of their troubled lifetime.


----------



## Sasha (Sep 12, 2009)

squrt29batt12 said:


> Got woken up at 1am last night for a 16yo F, took her to a pedi psych facility, baker acted because her parents found out she was taking xanax at school. Man, does the law now protect anyone these days? LOL
> 
> A simple butt whooping would've done the job



Sorry, but drug addiction is a serious mental problem and personally I feel it's more dangerous then the people who self injure for attention. You don't know the extent of the addiction or dependance, and many times a simple "butt whooping" will not do the job. Man does everyone resort to violence for everything these days?

Drug addiction such as taking xanax at school should only be dealt with by professionals and not parents who may end up hurting their child in an attempt to help them.


----------



## Akulahawk (Sep 12, 2009)

I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that there was previous self-medication with other stuff... and xanax happens to be the current drug of choice. Not pretty and probably needs to have extensive therapy.


----------

