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2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVII CRIMINAL PROCEDURE AND CORRECTIONS
Chapter 945 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS Entire Chapter
SECTION 48
Emergency treatment orders and use of force.
F.S. 945.48
945.48 Emergency treatment orders and use of force.—
(1) EMERGENCY MEDICATION.—The department is authorized to involuntarily administer psychotropic medication to an inmate on an emergency basis without following the procedure outlined in s. 945.43 only as specified in this section. An emergency treatment order for psychotropic medication may be provided to the inmate upon the written order of a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459 in an emergency not exceeding 72 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays. An emergency exists when an inmate with a mental illness presents an immediate threat of:
(a) Bodily harm to self or others; or
(b) Extreme deterioration in behavioral functioning secondary to the mental illness.
(2) PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION.—Psychotropic medication may be administered only when the medication constitutes an appropriate treatment for a mental illness and its symptoms and alternative treatments are not available or indicated, or would not be effective. If after the 72-hour period the inmate has not given express and informed consent to the medication initially refused, the inmate’s treating physician shall refer the inmate to a mental health treatment facility for an involuntary examination in accordance with the procedures described in s. 945.43. Upon such referral, the warden shall, within 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, transfer the inmate to a mental health treatment facility. Upon transfer of the inmate for an involuntary examination, the emergency treatment order may be continued upon the written order of a physician as long as the physician has determined that the emergency continues to present a danger to the safety of the inmate or others and the criteria described in this subsection are satisfied. If psychotropic medication is still recommended after the emergency, it may only be administered after following the procedures outlined in s. 945.44.
(3) USE OF FORCE.—An employee or agent of the department is authorized to apply physical force upon an inmate when and to the extent that it reasonably appears necessary to effectuate the treatment of an inmate as described in this section, for the application of psychiatric restraint, to effectuate clinically necessary hygiene, or pursuant to a valid court order issued under s. 945.44 or s. 945.485. The requirements of s. 944.35 shall be followed when using force to effectuate such treatment, apply such restraint, or effectuate such hygiene.
History.—s. 1, ch. 82-224; s. 29, ch. 84-361; s. 1, ch. 86-241; s. 1, ch. 88-117; s. 27, ch. 91-225; s. 9, ch. 96-422; s. 1864, ch. 97-102; s. 25, ch. 2000-161; s. 17, ch. 2008-250; s. 14, ch. 2022-195; s. 15, ch. 2025-81.