New York Consolidated Laws, Public Health Law - PBH § 2500. Maternal and child health;  duties of commissioner

1. The commissioner shall act in an advisory and supervisory capacity, in matters pertaining to the safeguarding of motherhood, the prevention of maternal, perinatal, infant and child mortality, the prevention of diseases, low birth weight, childhood obesity, and defects of childhood and the promotion of maternal, prenatal and child health, including care in hospitals, and shall administer such services bearing on the health of mothers and children for which funds are or shall hereafter be made available.

2. The commissioner shall establish minimum standards in accordance with established and accepted medical principles for local maternal and child health services administered by or under the general supervision of the commissioner.

3. In conjunction with the state department having general supervision, the commissioner may make or may cause to be made investigation of the conditions affecting the health of children in institutions for day care or domiciliary care.  If he shall find any conditions detrimental to health in such institutions, he shall make and report recommendations thereon to the appropriate state department.

4. The commissioner shall cooperate with other state departments having jurisdiction over matters affecting the health of mothers and children, to the end that existing activities may be coordinated and duplication of effort avoided.  He shall cooperate with and stimulate local agencies, public and private, in promoting such measures and undertakings as may be designed to accomplish the purposes of this section.