Section 32.17. Certain duties of providers of services

It  shall  be  the duty of every holder of an operating certificate to
  assist both the office and the commission on quality  of  care  for  the
  mentally  disabled in carrying out their respective and joint regulatory
  functions by:
    (a) complying with the provisions of this  chapter,  other  applicable
  federal,  state,  and  local  laws,  rules,  and  regulations,  and  the
  regulations of the commissioner.
    (b)  consistent  with  federal  and  state  confidentiality  laws  and
  regulations,  making  such reports as are required by the office as well
  as those necessary to provide notification to the district  attorney  or
  other  appropriate  law enforcement official and the commissioner or his
  or her authorized representative as soon as possible, or  in  any  event
  within  three  working  days,  if  it appears that a crime may have been
  committed by program personnel against a patient receiving services from
  such provider, and/or if a crime may  have  been  committed  by  program
  personnel  against  any  person  on such provider's premises, and making
  such other reports, uniform  and  otherwise,  as  are  required  by  the
  commissioner or his or her authorized representative with respect to its
  operations. Information obtained by the commissioner from the records of
  patients  receiving  services  shall  be kept confidential in accordance
  with applicable federal and state confidentiality laws and regulations.
    (c) cooperating  with  the  commissioner  or  his  or  her  authorized
  representative  and  the  commission on quality of care for the mentally
  disabled or any representative authorized by  the  chairperson  of  such
  commission   in   any  investigation  or  inspection  conducted  by  the
  department or commission on quality of care for the mentally disabled.
    (d)  permitting  the   commissioner   or   his   or   her   authorized
  representative  and  the  commission on quality of care for the mentally
  disabled or any representative authorized by  the  chairperson  of  such
  commission  to inspect its facility and all books and records, including
  patient records, kept by it and to interview and examine any patient  at
  its  facility  except that no patient may be examined against his or her
  will.