New York Consolidated Laws, Mental Hygiene Law - MHY § 9.57 Emergency admissions for immediate observation, care and treatment;  powers of emergency room physicians

A physician who has examined a person in an emergency room or provided emergency medical services at a general hospital, as defined in article twenty-eight of the public health law, which does not have an inpatient psychiatric service, or a physician who has examined a person in a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program shall be authorized to request that the director of the program or hospital, or the director's designee, direct the removal of such person to a hospital approved by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision (a) of section 9.39 of this article or to a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program, if the physician determines upon examination of such person that such person appears to have a mental illness for which immediate care and treatment in a hospital is appropriate and which is likely to result in serious harm to himself or others.  Upon the request of the physician, the director of the program or hospital or the director's designee, is authorized to direct peace officers, when acting pursuant to their special duties, or police officers, who are members of an authorized police department or force or of a sheriff's department to take into custody and transport any such person.  Upon the request of an emergency room physician or the director of the program or hospital, or the director's designee, an ambulance service, as defined by subdivision two of section three thousand one of the public health law, is authorized to take into custody and transport any such person.  Such person may then be admitted to a hospital in accordance with the provisions of section 9.39 of this article or to a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program in accordance with the provisions of section 9.40 of this article.