2012 New York Consolidated Laws
EXC - Executive
Article 20 - (550 - 562) PROTECTION OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
556 - Functions, powers and duties of the board.

 
    * § 556. Functions, powers and duties of the board. The justice center
  medical  review  board  shall  have  the following functions, powers and
  duties:
    (a) make a preliminary determination whether the death of a patient or
  resident in a residential facility within  the  meaning  of  subdivision
  four  of  section  four  hundred eighty-eight of the social services law
  that is operated, licensed or certified by an office of  the  department
  of  mental  hygiene or the office of children and family services, which
  has been brought to its attention  is  unusual  or  whether  such  death
  reasonably  appears  to have resulted from other than natural causes and
  warrants investigation;
    (b) investigate the  causes  of  and  circumstances  surrounding  such
  unusual  death  or  deaths from other than natural causes of patients or
  residents in such facilities;
    (c) visit and inspect any facility in which such a death has occurred;
    (d) cause the body  of  the  deceased  to  undergo  such  examinations
  including  an  autopsy  as  in the opinion of the board are necessary to
  determine the cause of death, irrespective of whether  such  examination
  or autopsy shall have been previously performed;
    (e)  upon  review  of  the  cause of and circumstances surrounding the
  death of any patient or resident,  submit  its  report  thereon  to  the
  executive  director  and,  where  appropriate,  make  recommendations to
  prevent the recurrence of same to the appropriate  commissioner  of  the
  department  of mental hygiene or the commissioner of children and family
  services and to the director of the facility; and
    (f) advise the executive director on medical issues  relevant  to  the
  functions,   powers,   and   duties  of  the  justice  center  including
  allegations of abuse or neglect of a patient or resident referred to it.
    * NB Effective June 30, 2013