What You Should Know About Baker Act Rights

By Helen Baker


If you are on a voluntary status under Baker Act then you have every mean to know your rights. Baker Act rights enable you to know where you stand and what sort of actions you can take if the authorities decide to put you on involuntary status.

Its okay to be concerned about the welfare of your loved one but Baker Act should be used only when you have exhausted all other resources. When you get involved into this Act, it becomes a legal matter. If you know that your loved one is suffering from a mental illness but their condition is stable and does not require immediate attention then its best to look out for other options rather than jumping onto this particular Act.

Some individuals voluntarily allow the authorities to assess their mental health and for that reason they report to the hospital as directed. Being on such status means you should be provided with a written evidence regarding what your rights are. If for some reason you don't get anything in written then you can ask the authorities and demand them to let you know about your rights.

Perused everything deliberately so you don't pass up a major opportunity any key data at all. In the event that something is as yet troubling you or in the event that you don't see a few focuses, then request that somebody answerable disclose it to you. You will be required to sign a shape that recommends you are willfully permitting experts to survey your mental capacities.

Even the hospital is obliged to explain everything in detail regarding your treatment plan. This Act gives the right to every patient to know about his treatment and whether there are any associated side effects and also if there are any alternative treatment plans available for you or not.

If the patient is diagnosed to have a mental health illness then its most likely that he will be given medications. Some of the medicines have certain side effects and you have the right to know about them. In certain circumstances the patient is allowed to go home within 24 hours while sometimes, you may not be allowed to go home and would have to stay back for further checks.

If you have been admitted to the medical facility, you have the right to make phone calls and meet your visitors. There will be fixed timings to do so but no one can deprive you from your rights. The medical staff will let you know when you can make phones calls but they need to be short and quick. Also, you cannot use your personal phone as it will be taken from you when you get admitted to the facility. That is done to ensure your own safety.

Sometimes, even when you submitted yourself voluntarily, it could turn into an involuntary status if the hospital thinks you have to be kept for a little bit longer than you wanted to. If you believe that you were wrongfully detained and you don't suffer from any mental health issues, then you could file a case against them but for that you would need to hire a legal adviser who could guide you in this regards.




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