CCHR Hosting a Complimentary Seminar on the Mental Health Law and Human Rights

The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), a psychiatric watchdog organization, is offering a complimentary seminar to better educate professionals on the law and potential abuses of the Baker Act.

It is vital for those entrusted with the power to initiate an involuntary psychiatric examination, called a Baker Act, to understand the intentions behind the law and possible consequences when this law is used. Whether a person works as a school counselor, teacher, social worker, law enforcement or in another field, this seminar will help provide greater insight.

“While the total number of Baker Acts initiated in Florida have dropped for the past two years, the need to protect mental health human rights still exists and it is important for those authorized to initiate an involuntary psychiatric examination to understand the law and the rights of citizens,” states Diane Stein, president of the Florida chapter of CCHR.

The seminar will be delivered by attorney Carmen Miller. Ms. Miller, currently serving as a private practice attorney in the Tampa Bay area, is an expert on the Baker Act. Prior to opening her own firm. Miller worked for over 8 years as an assistant public defender for the 13th judicial district in Hillsborough County.

Geared to provide attendees with a better understanding of the Baker Act, specific learning objectives for the event include:

1. Understanding the legal context and intentions of the Baker Act.

2. Being able to describe the laws regarding involuntary examinations.

3. Being able to identify the basic human rights impacted by the Baker Act and the Act’s unintended consequences.

4. Obtaining action steps to help protect those impacted by the Baker Act.

This seminar will be held on Saturday, July 8th from 2:00pm-3:30pm at the offices of CCHR – 109 N. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. This seminar will also be available by Zoom. Click Here to register or call 800-782-2878.

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. The Florida chapter of CCHR is an award-winning nonprofit in the area of mental health human rights and government relations. 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.

Source: usf.edu/cbcs/baker-act/documents/usf_barc_fy_20_21_annual_report.pdf

Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida
publicaffairs@cchrflorida.org
+1-727-442-8820
109 North Fort Harrison Avenue

United States

COMTEX_436476201/2764/2023-07-06T04:56:20