N.Y. MHY Law § 15.01

§ 15.01 Definitions.\n As used in this article:\n "in need of care and treatment" means that a person has a\ndevelopmental disability and would benefit from care and treatment as a\nresident in a school.\n "in need of involuntary care and treatment" means that a person is in\nneed of in-patient care and treatment as a resident in a school, that\nsuch care and treatment is essential to his or her welfare, and that his\nor her judgment is so impaired that he or she is unable to understand\nthe need for such care and treatment and that he or she poses a real and\npresent risk of substantial physical harm to himself or herself or\nothers.\n "need for retention" means that a person who has been admitted to a\nschool pursuant to this article is in need of involuntary care and\ntreatment in a school for a further period.\n "record" of a patient shall consist of admission, transfer or\nretention papers and orders, and accompanying data required by this\narticle and by the regulations of the commissioner.\n "director of community services" means the director of community\nservices for the mentally disabled appointed pursuant to article eleven\nof this chapter.\n any provisions of this article which explicitly or implicitly apply\nto, or reference, persons who are, or who are alleged to be, mentally\nretarded shall be deemed to apply to, or to be a reference to, persons\nwho are, or who are alleged to be, developmentally disabled.\n