NYC Hotline for Involuntary Hospitalizations Remains Silent

A hotline launched by Mayor Eric Adams' administration in New York City to help police officers determine whether to force someone to undergo a psychiatric evaluation has received zero calls since its launch on January 31. The hotline, staffed by trained psychiatrists and medical professionals, was intended to guide officers encountering individuals in crisis. The lack of calls raises questions about how police officers are implementing Adams' directive and highlights the unilateral discretion the NYPD has in making decisions about involuntary hospitalizations, a power that civil rights advocates argue should be left to healthcare professionals.