"The idea is not to Baker Act." Sheriff Gualtieri on our Mental Health Unit #floridasheriff

"The idea is not to Baker Act." - Sheriff Bob Gualtieri When someone is in a mental health crisis, the answer isn't jail or involuntary examination under Florida's Baker Act, only to repeat the same cycle a short while later. Sheriff Gualtieri recognized this broken system and took action. In 2016, he created our Mental Health Unit to work on breaking this cycle. Here's how it works: Our co-response model pairs a deputy with a crisis response specialist (CRS)—a trained mental health professional who evaluates the person on scene, connects with them, and works to get them the services they actually need. But we don't stop there. The CRS follows up multiple times to ensure people get ongoing support and connects them with additional resources. It's not about arresting the problem away. It's about addressing the root cause and giving people real help when they need it most. Hear more about our Mental Health Unit and other programs Sheriff Gualtieri has put in place to help our community, in the latest episode of 56: A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Podcast. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen to podcasts.