N.Y. Laws » CHAPTER Executive / ARTICLE Protection of People With Special Needs
New York Consolidated Laws

N.Y. Executive Law § 551 (2026)

The justice center for the protection of people with special needs

✓ text as retrieved May 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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§ 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.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases, 2016–2020 · leading case: People v. Martesha Davidson, 55 N.E.3d 1027 (N.Y. 2016).
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People v. Martesha Davidson, 55 N.E.3d 1027 (N.Y. 2016). · cites it 2× “Pursuant to the statutory design, the Justice Center is housed within the Executive branch, and headed by an executive director appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate (Executive Law § 551 [1]). In furtherance of the legislative purpose to…”
T.T. v. State of New York, 151 A.D.3d 1345 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep't 2017). “In 2012, the Commission was replaced by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs (see Executive Law § 551, as added by L 2012, ch 501, § 2, part A, § 3).”
Matter of Williams v. New York State Just. Ctr. for The Prot. of People With Special Needs, 151 A.D.3d 1355 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep't 2017). “The Justice Center, insofar as is relevant here, is empowered to investigate and respond to allegations of neglect of persons with cognitive or physical disabilities who receive care from licensed facilities (see Executive Law §§ 551-553, 557, 562; Social Services Law § 493).”
Matter of Anonymous v. New York State Just. Ctr. for The Prot. of People With Special Needs, 2018 NY Slip Op 7996 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep't 2018). · cites it 2× “vulnerable persons who reside in or receive services from [state-operated] facilities" and "assur[e], on behalf of the state, that vulnerable persons are afforded care that is of a uniformly high standard" (Executive Law § 551 [2] [a], [b]; see Social Services Law § 488 [4] [a]).”
T.T. v. State of New York, 2017 NY Slip Op 4940 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep't 2017). “Footnote 2: In 2012, the Commission was replaced by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs ( see Executive Law § 551, as added by L 2012, ch 501, part A, § 3).”
Walker v. Greystone Programs Inc., No. 7:18-cv-07757 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 8, 2020). “N.Y. Exec. Law§ 551(1); Compl. ¶ 5. All claims against it are therefore barred by the Eleventh Amendment.”
N.Y. Executive Law § 551(1): 1 case
Walker v. Greystone Programs Inc., No. 7:18-cv-07757 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 8, 2020). “N.Y. Exec. Law§ 551(1); Compl. ¶ 5. All claims against it are therefore barred by the Eleventh Amendment.”
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