22.09 - Emergency services for persons intoxicated, impaired, or incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances.
§ 22.09 Emergency services for persons intoxicated, impaired, or incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances. (a) As used in this article: 1. "Intoxicated or impaired person" means a person whose mental or physical functioning is substantially impaired as a result of the presence of alcohol and/or substances in his or her body. 2. "Incapacitated" means that a person, as a result of the use of alcohol and/or substances, is unconscious or has his or her judgment otherwise so impaired that he or she is incapable of realizing and making a rational decision with respect to his or her need for treatment. 3. "Likelihood to result in harm" or "likely to result in harm" means (i) a substantial risk of physical harm to the person as manifested by threats of or attempts at suicide or serious bodily harm or other conduct demonstrating that the person is dangerous to himself or herself, or (ii) a substantial risk of physical harm to other persons as manifested by homicidal or other violent behavior by which others are placed in reasonable fear of serious physical harm. 4. "Hospital" means a general hospital as defined in article twenty-eight of the public health law. (b) An intoxicated or impaired person may come voluntarily for emergency treatment to a chemical dependence program or treatment facility authorized by the commissioner to give such emergency treatment. A person who appears to be intoxicated or impaired and who consents to the proffered help may be assisted by any peace officer acting pursuant to his or her special duties, police officer, or by a designee of the director of community services to return to his or her home, to a chemical dependence program or treatment facility, or to any other facility authorized by the commissioner to give emergency treatment. In such cases, the peace officer, police officer, or designee of the director of community services shall accompany the intoxicated or impaired person in a manner which is reasonably designed to assure his or her safety, as set forth in regulations promulgated in accordance with subdivision (f) of this section. (c) A person who appears to be incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances to the degree that there is a likelihood to result in harm to the person or to others may be taken by a peace officer acting pursuant to his or her special duties, or a police officer who is a member of the state police or of an authorized police department or force or of a sheriff's department or by the director of community services or a person duly designated by him or her to a general hospital or to any other place authorized by the commissioner in regulations promulgated in accordance with subdivision (f) of this section to give emergency treatment, for immediate observation, care, and emergency treatment. Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect the health and safety of such person, including but not limited to the requirement that the peace officer, police officer, or director of community services or his or her designee shall accompany the apparently incapacitated person in a manner which is reasonably designed to assure his or her safety, as set forth in regulations promulgated in accordance with subdivision (f) of this section. (d) A person who comes voluntarily or is brought without his or her objection to any such facility or program in accordance with subdivision (c) of this section shall be given emergency care and treatment at such place if found suitable therefor by authorized personnel, or referred to another suitable facility or treatment program for care and treatment, or sent to his or her home.(e) A person who is brought with his or her objection to any facility or treatment program in accordance with subdivision (c) of this section shall be examined as soon as possible by an examining physician. If such examining physician determines that such person is incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances to the degree that there is a likelihood to result in harm to the person or others, he or she may be retained for emergency treatment. If the examining physician determines that such person is not incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances to the degree that there is a likelihood to result in harm to the person or others, he or she must be released. Notwithstanding any other law, in no event may such person be retained against his or her objection beyond whichever is the shorter of the following: (i) the time that he or she is no longer incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances to the degree that there is a likelihood to result in harm to the person or others or (ii) a period longer than forty-eight hours. 1. Every reasonable effort must be made to obtain the person's consent to give prompt notification of a person's retention in a facility or program pursuant to this section to his or her closest relative or friend, and, if requested by such person, to his or her attorney and personal physician, in accordance with federal confidentiality regulations. 2. A person may not be retained pursuant to this section beyond a period of forty-eight hours without his or her consent. Persons suitable therefor may be voluntarily admitted to a chemical dependence program or facility pursuant to this article. (f) The commissioner shall promulgate regulations, after consulting with representatives of appropriate law enforcement and chemical dependence providers of services, establishing procedures for taking intoxicated or impaired persons and persons apparently incapacitated by alcohol and/or substances to their residences or to appropriate public or private facilities for emergency treatment and for minimizing the role of the police in obtaining treatment of such persons.