M is one of nine siblings who was neglected and, now at age 15, is having a hard time in foster homes because he often acts out if he fails to receive attention. His mother, who hasn't cared for him since he was eight, says she cannot handle him. M was sent to Lock Towns, a psychiatric hospital in Broward County, without receiving a hearing. The move puts him far away from his mother and siblings, preventing him from participating in the family therapy he needs. Salisbury said that unlike adults, who by law under the Baker Act, must receive a hearing before being involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital.
Children have no such rights.
The clinic is arguing that this is a violation of M's right to due process. Children in Florida can be committed to a psychiatric hospital with no notice, no court hearing, and no independent doctor. There are thousands of children across the state who have no lawyer and are locked in psychiatric facilities without anyone to hear them. Salisbury and Perlmutter are committed to their work at the UM clinic. Working with children is immensely rewarding because they need the most help, says Salisbury, who grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Miami and had friends who were in foster homes.