§ 551. The justice center for the protection of people with special
needs. 1. There is hereby created within the executive department a
justice center for the protection of people with special needs ("justice
center" or "center"). Such justice center shall be headed by an
executive director, who shall be appointed by the governor, by and with
the advice and consent of the senate. The executive director may appoint
staff and perform such other functions for the efficient operation of
the justice center within the amounts made available therefor by
appropriation.

2. The executive director shall recommend policies and procedures to
the state oversight agency for the protection of vulnerable persons,
including but not limited to policies and procedures: (a) for the
protection of vulnerable persons who reside in or receive services from
facilities or provider agencies as set forth in subdivision four of
section four hundred eighty-eight of the social services law; (b)
relating to assuring, on behalf of the state, that vulnerable persons
are afforded care that is of a uniformly high standard; (c) relating to
assuring, on behalf of the state, that vulnerable persons are afforded
the opportunity to exercise all of the rights and responsibilities
accorded to residents of the state; and (d) to harmonize and improve the
procedures for and quality of investigations of reportable incidents
involving vulnerable persons within the different systems of care in the
state.

3. The executive director may, in consultation with the advisory
council, promulgate, adopt, amend or rescind rules and regulations
necessary to carry out the provisions of this article; provided,
however, that such rules and regulations shall be strictly limited in
their application to the means and methods of compliance with the
provisions of this article.