Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-10.1-4. Emergency commitment

(a) Any police officer may take an individual into protective custody and transport him or her to the emergency room of any hospital if the officer has reason to believe that:

(b) A physician in charge of an emergency room of a hospital shall determine if any individual brought into the emergency room by a police officer, family member, or other interested person, requires emergency medical treatment for his or her condition or if the individual is appropriate for emergency commitment to an approved public treatment facility by reason of the grounds stated in this section.

(c) If a physician determines, upon examination, that an individual is medically stable and appropriate for emergency commitment to an approved public treatment facility, he or she shall make application for the individual's admission to the approved public treatment facility.

(d) The application for admission shall state the circumstances under which an individual was taken into custody, brought to the emergency room, or brought to an approved public treatment facility and the reason for the physician's determination that the individual needs emergency commitment for drug intoxication.

(e) Upon the request of any physician making application in writing, under this section, it shall be the duty of any police department of this state or any governmental subdivision of this state to whom the request is made, to take into custody and transport the individual to the designated approved public treatment facility.