Florida Marchman Act

There is a service for drug and alcohol rehab Florida has to offer that other states do not. This would be the Marchman Act. Florida provides emergency services and temporary detention for those who have substance abuse issues. These services and detention allow for a voluntary or involuntary substance abuse evaluation and treatment. The Marchman Act only applies to the state of Florida.

There are two different types of Marchman Act admissions to drug rehab. Florida is a beautiful place for a person to be admitted for rehab, under the Marchman Act or by any other circumstances. The two different types of admissions are voluntary and involuntary. A voluntary admission is when a person applies to a service provider themselves to enter treatment for substance abuse. An involuntary admission is a bit more complicated. Basically, if there is substantial reason to believe that the person who is abusing drugs is impaired because of this abuse, then they cannot make the rational decision to get help for this problem. Some of the specific criteria require that the individual demonstrate that they have lost the ability to make this rational decision by either showing their loss of self-control; has inflicted, attempted to or threatened to inflict, or is likely to inflict physical harm to his or herself or others; or that the person's judgment has been impaired to the point where they cannot make any decisions regarding substance abuse treatment. To be admitted involuntarily, the individual must clearly have demonstrated or be demonstrating one or more of these qualities.

There are other modes of being admitted as well. For example, a minor could voluntarily seek help without their parent's or guardian's consent. Also, an individual, either a minor or an adult, could be taken into protective custody by a law enforcement officer if that individual appears to meet any of the listed criteria. If a law enforcement officer is not on hand or available, there are others who are allowed to file an involuntary Marchman Act petition. These people include a private practitioner, a spouse or guardian, any other relatives, or any three responsible adults that have direct knowledge of the individual's substance abuse problem.

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel that the only option is an involuntary Marchman Act petition, you must be sure that the individual has lost self-control because of the substance abuse and will or has inflicted harm on him/herself or others. Also, if the person is incapable of realizing the need for treatment, this is also grounds for admittance. To file this petition, you will need to confirm that there is space for their admittance by contacting a service provider. Upon filing, you will need to bring some form of identification for yourself that includes your social security number and your date of birth. Also, you must provide an address of where to find the person who needs admittance so that he or she can be located by the police. After you file the Marchman Act, the person you are concerned about will be held for no more than five days for an assessment and stabilization period.

Going through a situation like this one is difficult for the addict, but many do not realize that it is also very difficult for those who care deeply for the addict. It takes a lot of courage and responsibility to file an involuntary Marchman Act petition. To see someone who cannot even realize that they need help get help is one of the most amazing things. Get information and help the person you are concerned about.