The Baker Act — a.k.a. the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 — allows for involuntary examination of an individual.
It can be initiated by judges, law enforcement officials, physicians, or mental health professionals.
There must be evidence that the person either has a mental illness or is a harm to self, harm to others, or self-neglectful.
The act was named for a Florida state representative, Maxine Baker, who had a strong interest in mental health issues
