45.17 - Functions, powers and duties of the board. - New York Statutes

§ 45.17 Functions, powers and duties of the board. The mental hygiene 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 mental hygiene facility 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 mental hygiene 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, mistreatment, or abuse of any patient or resident, submit its report thereon to the commission and, where appropriate, make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of same to the appropriate commissioner of the department of mental hygiene and to the director of the facility; and (f) advise the commission on medical issues relevant to the functions, powers, and duties of the commission including allegations of mistreatment or abuse of a patient or resident referred to it by the commission.