Thank you for trusting us to care for your loved one. Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center has served the South Florida community for over 20 years. We offer inpatient mental health & substance use disorder acute sta­bilization and treatment for ages five and up. For continuity of care, there is an onsite outpatient clinic offering psychiatric evaluation, medication management and individual & family therapy.

My loved one was admitted, what happens next?

• Your child will be oriented to the unit. This includes the following:
  • Personal and hygiene items are supplied
  • Review of unit rules and program structure
  • Programing/personal time schedules
  • Gym/outdoors/recreational schedules
  • Therapy schedules
  • Phone time schedules
• Registered nurse will complete nursing assessment upon your child’s arrival on the unit
• The doctor will contact the parent/guardian upon assessment of the child
• The nursing team will contact the parent/guardian for consents and/or updates
• The therapist will contact the parent/guardian within 24 to 48 hours of admission to schedule a family/discharge planning session

What is informed consent?
The process of informed consent occurs when communication between a patient and physician results in the patient’s authorization or agreement to undergo a specific medical intervention.

What is a Baker Act?
The Baker Act is a Florida law allowing emergency mental health services for the temporary detention of people who are impaired due to mental illness, and who are unable to determine their needs for treatment. Your loved one is observed and continually assessed during the initial 72-hour hold.Following assessment, the doctor can:

• lift the Baker Act and allow the parent/guardian to sign in voluntarily
• discharge the patient upon the expiration of 72 hours
• petition the patient for involuntary placement (due to continued presentation of danger to self and/or others)

• View visitation hours and visitor guidelines

Dr. Lance Amols
Child Psychiatrist

Dr. Lance Amols is a born and raised South Floridian who has spent his entire life enjoying the sun within the tri-county area. He is triple board certified having completed his medical school training, psychiatry residency as well as his multiple fellowships in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Miami. Having previously worked at FLBHC years ago, he was excited when the opportunity came to rejoin the team and has been serving as the lead Child & Adolescent psychiatrist on the youth units since returning. When he’s not working, he’s taking his dog on long walks, hiking, or enjoying kayaking on the many beautiful crystal-clear springs Florida has to offer. On days when the weather won’t cooperate, you can find him enjoying a good movie or playing video games, both hobbies he has enjoyed since childhood.