The Essentials of Florida Mental Health Law: A Straightforward Guide for Clinicians of all Disciplines
Stephen H. Behnke, Bruce J. Winick, Alina M. Perez
Overview – Excerpt – Table of Contents
An indispensable book for both
student and practicing clinicians, as well as for lawyers who want a better understanding
of this interesting and ever-changing field, The Essentials of Florida Mental Health Law
explains in a straightforward and user-friendly manner the laws most relevant to mental
health practice in Florida. Both the format and content of this book are designed to
remove the mystery and anxiety that many clinicians associate with lawyers, courts, and
judges. As the authors state in their introduction, 'At the heart of this book is our
belief that good patient care and knowledge of the law go hand in hand.
. . . Far from restricting or inhibiting clinical practice, knowing the essentials of
Florida mental health law will free treaters from much undue - and unwarranted - anxiety
about their legal rights and duties. . . . Such freedom will allow clinicians to
concentrate on what they do best and enjoy most - treat patients.'
Critical Acclaim
'This valuable series is truly an 'essential' component of the library of any
student, scholar, or practitioner interested in the interface between mental health and
law. Clear, highly accessible, knowledgeable, and complete, this series not only presents
mental health law in its necessary clinical context, it also captures those very questions
professionals are most likely to ask.'
- Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, President,
American Academy of Psychiatry and Law
About the Authors
Stephen H. Behnke, J.D., Ph.D., is Director of the Program in the Practice of
Scientific Investigation at the Harvard Medical School Division of Medical Ethics. He is
on the Psychology Faculty of the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, and an Instructor in
Psychology in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry.
Bruce J. Winick, J.D., is Professor of Law at the University of Miami School of Law
since 1974, and co-founder of the school of social inquiry known as therapeutic
jurisprudence. He has authored and edited numerous books, including most recently, The
Right to Refuse Mental Health Treatment and Therapeutic Jurispreudence Applied:
Essays on Mental Health Law.
Alina M. Perez, J.D., L.C.S.W., is in private law practice in Miami, Florida.
ISBN: 0-393-70309-6
March, 2000
Hardcover, 240 pages
