Bridgeway Center Baker Act Services

AUGUST 14, 2008

Prepared for Public Service Announcement:

Fort Walton Beach – Bridgeway Center, Inc (BCI) continues to provide Baker Act process services since the Baker Act moratorium was imposed Friday August 1, 2008. The Emergency Services Department of BCI is responding to the needs of the community.

In 2001 Bridgeway Center initiated this service on site 24 hours per day 7 days per week. BCI’s Emergency Services remains at the center of the Baker Act process for Okaloosa County for the duration of the moratorium. These trained Behavioral Health professionals provide Baker Act consultation, referral and placement services for area hospitals, medical professionals, law enforcement and members of the community.

Since the inception of the moratorium, Emergency Services has handled 111 Baker Act referrals, which is a 41% increase in typical volume. Dr. Chanalarp Holliday, MD, BCI Inpatient Services Psychiatrist has provided consultation, evaluation or admission approval on all referrals during this period.

Daniel Cobbs, BCI Chief Executive Officer stated that BCI will continue to commit the necessary resources to ensure that the needs of any individual requiring intervention in the Baker Act process are met. He further commended the leadership and teamwork demonstrated by Okaloosa County Director of Public Safety Dino J. Villani and Emergency Medical Services; District 1 ADM Program Supervisor Paul Rollings, PhD. and the Honorable William F. Stone, Administrative Circuit Judge 1st Judicial Circuit.