Astro Bug

CLEARWATER, Fla. - AstroBug -- While not officially recognized, June has unofficially become Parental Rights Month. Many groups that work to protect parental rights deserve to take a moment to recognize the gains in this area but according to one such group there is still much more to be done.

A leader in the recent parental rights movement, Florida has made great strides in protecting parental rights. The passage of the Parents' Bill of Rights in 2021 is just one example of the ways in which Florida is working to protect children and families. The Parents' Bill of Rights guarantees many rights which have historically been viewed as fundamental, including a parent's right to direct the mental health of their children.

However, according to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), this right is being undermined by Florida's mental health law.

In 2020/2021 there were close to 40,000 Baker Acts involving children in one year in Florida. When the Parents' Bill of Rights passed in 2021 this number began dropping and as additional key bills were passed protecting a parent's right to direct the mental health of their children this number continued to drop.

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The number of involuntary psychiatric examinations, Baker Acts, involving children has drop by almost 10,000 per year but the rate of Baker Acts is even lower due to the increase of children in the state.

"The overall change in the number of children being Baker Acted is promising, but the Baker Acting of children at all is a violation of parental rights," stated the president for the Florida chapter of CCHR, Diane Stein.

In order to Baker Act anyone there is a set list of criteria that must be met. All points must be met. Included in these criteria is the option to allow a person to be helped by willing, able and responsible family members, so why are so many children still being Baker Acted?

"I believe there are two reasons why parents are not being given the opportunity to help their children and instead the child is Baker Acted. The Baker Act is profitable and it is being used as a disciplinary tool," stated Diane Stein.

At an average of $1400 per day, Baker Acting is potentially big business in Florida when you start adding up the total number of Baker Acts and the average length of stay which despite the law stating it is only for 72 hours may end up being substantially longer as was the case for one Florida woman who found herself being held without what appears to be probable cause.

Demoree Hadley found herself ambushed in a parking lot by a psychiatrist she never met, a private security firm hired to transport her and a Sheriff's Office who seemingly just went along with what was happening despite the obvious evidence that Hadley did not meet the criteria for Baker Acting. This woman ended up being Baker Acted, transported to the hospital where the psychiatrist works and then to the drug rehab where this same psychiatrist practices where she claims she was held for two weeks. Hadley denies using drugs and never tested positive for drugs.

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The above story involves an adult but unfortunately the blatant violation of rights happens to children and to their parents.

"It is time for Florida to finish the job they started and pass legislation that will cement a parent's right to direct the mental health of their children and abolish the use of the involuntary Baker Act for anyone under the age of 18. If a parent feels their child is in crisis and needs help, they have numerous means by which to make that happen," stated Stein.

About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR's mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: "Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the 'free world' tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of 'mental health,'" he wrote in March 1969. For more information please visit www.cchrflorida.org.