2006 New York Code - Voluntary And Informal Admissions; Encouragement Of.

 
  § 9.21 Voluntary and informal admissions; encouragement of.
    (a) It shall be the duty of all state and local officers having duties
  to perform relating to the mentally ill to encourage any person suitable
  therefor  and  in need of care and treatment for mental illness to apply
  for admission as a voluntary or informal patient.
    (b) No requirement shall be made by rule, regulation, or otherwise  as
  a  condition  to  admission  or  retention  that any person applying for
  admission shall have the legal capacity to contract.
    (c) A person requesting admission to a hospital, who is  suitable  for
  admission  on  a voluntary or informal status, shall be admitted only on
  such a voluntary or informal status. The hospital shall, in  such  case,
  have  the  discretion  to admit the person on either such status, except
  that, if the person  specifically  requests  admission  on  an  informal
  status  and  is  suitable  therefor,  he  shall be admitted only on such
  informal status.