BOARD/COMMISSION:  The Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities

Advisory Committee members include consumers, representatives of advocacy organizations, human service and health care professionals, including professionals in psychiatry, internal medicine and forensic pathology.

The Medical Review Subcommittee (MRS) may have access to private and confidential data collected or created by the ombudsman that are necessary to fulfill its duties and may review the causes of and circumstances surrounding the death; request the county coroner or medical examiner to conduct an autopsy and submit a report regarding the death of a client to the committee, the ombudsman, the client's next-of-kin and the facility where the death occurred. Where appropriate, make recommendations to prevent recurrence of similar deaths to the head of each affected agency, facility or Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.

Advises and assists the ombudsman in developing policies, plans and programs to benefit persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependence and emotional disturbance.