Committed: How A 6-Year-Old Revealed Florida’s Dysfunctional System of Baker Acting Kids

By Lynn Hatter/WFSU

The Baker Act was not designed for kids. Yet over the past few years, the number of children who are being sent for involuntary psychiatric evaluations has increased. The issue is drawing more scrutiny from child advocates and lawmakers. But solutions to the problem aren’t coming easily. The reasons why children are committed are often complex. What happens when the state decides to commit a child? Who is most at-risk and why are they being Baker Acted? And is there long-term fallout? This series by Lynn Hatter explores what happens when kids get committed.