New York Laws
Article 20 - Protection of People With Special Needs
556 - Functions, Powers and Duties of the Board.

(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.