Guest guest Posted March 22, 2001 Report Share Posted March 22, 2001 ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT CALL TO ARMS SAY NO TO SENATE BILL #908 Senate Bill 908 provides that marriage and family therapists or mental health counselors may involuntarily commit the public. This bill would greatly expand the number of people who could be involuntarily committed to mental health facilities and force them to undergo treatments. Right now, the only people who have the power to commit someone is an administrator of a hospital once the person has been examined by, and the recommendation made, by a psychiatrist and a psychologist or a second psychiatrist. An administrator may also commit someone in cases where the incident occurs in a small city where the examination by a psychiatrist is not available. This bill is being heard on Friday at 9am in the Children and Families Committee of the Senate and we need everyone to call or fax and let the committee members know that you are not in favor of this bill and ask them not to support it!!! The points are: Persons without medical training should not be allowed to make such important decisions over the public’s lives. Being labeled "mentally ill" will follow a person for the rest of their life and so the decision to involuntarily commit someone is not a light matter and should be restricted not expanded upon by allowing medically untrained persons such as marriage counselors or therapists to have the power of the decision. This will cause the fraud and abuse of power of the mental health field to expand and affect the people of Florida negatively as well as cause the misuse of taxpayer money and related insurance to go up even more. LIST OF MEMBERS IN THE SENATE CHILDREN & FAMILIES COMMITTEE Durell Peaden, Jr. phone 850-487-5000 fax 850-487-5276 city Crestview Richard Mitchelle phone 850-487-5017 fax 850-487-5495 city Jasper Kendrick B. Meek phone 850-487-5116 fax 850-487-5540 city Miami Lesley "Les" Miller, Jr. phone 850-487-5059 fax 850-487-5442 city Tampa Burt L. Saunders phone 850-487-5124 fax 850-487-5511 city Cape Coral Donald Sullivan phone 850-487-5065 fax 850-487-5182 city St. Petersburg Daniel Webster phone: 850-487-5047 fax 850-487-5527 city Winter Garden Please fax us your letters and any responses you get to 727 446 9697. Thank you!Ian "Doc" Shillington N.D.505-772-5889Dr.IanShillington Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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