§ 556 — Functions, powers and duties of the board

§ 556. Functions, powers and duties of the board. The justice center\nmedical review board shall have the following functions, powers and\nduties:\n (a) make a preliminary determination whether the death of a patient or\nresident in a residential facility within the meaning of subdivision\nfour of section four hundred eighty-eight of the social services law\nthat is operated, licensed or certified by an office of the department\nof mental hygiene or the office of children and family services, which\nhas been brought to its attention is unusual or whether such death\nreasonably appears to have resulted from other than natural causes and\nwarrants investigation;\n (b) investigate the causes of and circumstances surrounding such\nunusual death or deaths from other than natural causes of patients or\nresidents in such facilities;\n (c) visit and inspect any facility in which such a death has occurred;\n (d) cause the body of the deceased to undergo such examinations\nincluding an autopsy as in the opinion of the board are necessary to\ndetermine the cause of death, irrespective of whether such examination\nor autopsy shall have been previously performed;\n (e) upon review of the cause of and circumstances surrounding the\ndeath of any patient or resident, submit its report thereon to the\nexecutive director and, where appropriate, make recommendations to\nprevent the recurrence of same to the appropriate commissioner of the\ndepartment of mental hygiene or the commissioner of children and family\nservices and to the director of the facility; and\n (f) advise the executive director on medical issues relevant to the\nfunctions, powers, and duties of the justice center including\nallegations of abuse or neglect of a patient or resident referred to it.\n