At the February 22, 2023 City Commission meeting, at the request of Mayor Steven Meiner (then Commissioner Meiner), the Mayor and City Commission approved a referral (C4 O) to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC”) to discuss a potential statewide legislative proposal to provide additional mental health evaluation, support and services for persons in need.

The Baker Act provision of the law (Florida State Statutes Ch. 394) concerns individuals who may be experiencing a psychiatric episode or abnormal behavior associated with mental illness. The Marchman Act provision of the law (Florida State Statutes Ch. 397) deals with substance abuse.

When considering legislation and making attempts to further assess or evaluate those who may have recurring issues, the following is a illustrative list of factors that could also be considered and addressed:

• The Discharge Plan – evaluation of a follow up with a clinician or doctor within seven days after the initial treatment, as required by law;

• The link to community-based services or community health centers – evaluate the existence of coordination between the receiving facility and any community-based or mental health centers;

• Use of the Peer Program – consideration of the program as a viable option to assist those who continue to “participate” in what seems to be a revolving door process;

• Other barriers – identification of additional obstacles such as insurances, equipment, accessibility, etc., and whether a plan is in place to address those barriers; and

• Basic life needs – evaluation of basic life needs (food, water, safety) being met upon discharge or continued care. If basic needs cannot be met, it will be difficult to observer any type of permanent change in an individual.

These are just a few concerns which arise when referring to re-assessing and re-evaluating those who often find themselves in the recurring saga of homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and service resistance.

The City’s services and support for those facing these challenges range from shelter services, family reunification, and referrals to treatment. The City’s Homeless Outreach Services Team works collaboratively with Mount Sinai Medical Center during the behavioral health patient discharge process if the client is identified as homeless or unhoused. The services provided are voluntary, and if the person accepts services, the City has contracted with specialized providers to address and access voluntary mental health and co-occurring disorders. In addition to the contracted services provided by New Hope Corps, Camillus Health Concern and Camillus House Lazarus Program, the team also continues to leverage resources by partnering with the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Continuum of Care Thriving Minds to access different levels of care for clients and Borinquen Medical Center’s Behavioral Health.

The Department’s budget funds various services related to mental health, including specialized outreach, pre-treatment beds, treatment beds for voluntary and involuntary clients, and ¾-way housing for after-treatment discharge. Additionally, the City received funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") through the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust to fund the Hand Up grant initiative, which is designed to provide support services via Peer Specialists to the unsheltered homeless in Miami Beach. The project focuses on wrap-around support services including, but not limited to, assistance in finding and obtaining suitable and affordable housing, mentorship, general life-skills training, employment search assistance, and child-care funding. Peer Specialists will serve as step-by-step guides and mentors to unsheltered homeless participants by providing individualized action plans and working collaboratively with the participant to achieve goals that can aid in ending their homelessness.