§ 19.17 Programs, services, and operation of facilities in the office of

alcoholism and substance abuse services.

(a) The commissioner shall establish policy and procedure for the
organization, administration, and operation of facilities under his or
her jurisdiction. He or she shall make provision for the efficient
rendition of services to patients by such facilities.

(b) The commissioner shall establish the areas which each facility
under his or her jurisdiction shall serve and the categories of patients
which each such facility shall receive, retain, or treat. The
commissioner shall provide for priority of admission for persons whose
children have been placed in foster care or are in jeopardy of being so
placed pursuant to article ten of the family court act or article six of
the social services law.

(c) The commissioner may permit the other offices of the department
and any public or private non-profit organization or political
subdivision of the state to operate programs for the mentally disabled
not inconsistent with the programs and objectives of the department, in
any facility under his or her jurisdiction. The commissioner may permit
any facility under his or her jurisdiction to operate programs for the
mentally disabled, not inconsistent with the programs and objectives of
the department, under contracts or agreements with other offices within
the department.

(d) The commissioner shall direct and carry on basic clinical,
epidemiological, social science, evaluative, and statistical research in
chemical abuse and dependence either individually or in conjunction with
other agencies, public or private, and, within the amounts made
available by appropriation therefor, develop pilot programs. In
pursuance of the foregoing and notwithstanding any other provision of
law, the office may establish, direct, and carry on experimental pilot
clinical programs providing for early intervention and for treatment of
chemical abuse and dependence. Such treatment may include the
administration, under medical supervision and control, of experimental
substances.

(e) The office shall have the authority to gather information and
maintain statistical and other records relating to chemical abuse and
dependence services in the state. Any person licensed or otherwise
permitted to dispense, administer, or conduct research with respect to a
controlled substance in the course of a licensed professional practice
or research license pursuant to article thirty-three of the public
health law and all public officials having duties to perform with
respect to controlled substances or users of such substances shall
report and supply such information to the office in relation thereto as
the office shall by rule, regulation, or order require consistent with
appropriate state and federal law relative to the confidentiality of
patient records.

(f) There shall be in the office the facilities named below for the
care, treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally disabled and for
clinical research and teaching in the science and skills required for
the care, treatment and rehabilitation of such mentally disabled.

R.E. Blaisdell Addiction Treatment Center

Bronx Addiction Treatment Center

C.K. Post Addiction Treatment Center

Creedmoor Addiction Treatment Center

Dick Van Dyke Addiction Treatment Center

Kingsboro Addiction Treatment Center

McPike Addiction Treatment Center

Richard C. Ward Addiction Treatment Center

J.L. Norris Addiction Treatment Center

South Beach Addiction Treatment Center

St. Lawrence Addiction Treatment Center

Stutzman Addiction Treatment Center

(g) The office shall have the authority to establish an information
policy and data reporting procedure for the collection, use, and
disclosure of data from providers of chemical dependence services,
including procedures to ensure the protection of patient-identifying
information and data gathered pursuant to section 19.16 of this article,
which shall be deemed confidential except as otherwise provided by law
including, but not limited to, articles six and six-A of the public
officers law.