169-C:37 Institutional Abuse and Neglect. –
The department of justice shall be empowered to receive and investigate reports of institutional abuse or neglect at the youth development center, and any facility that provides child inpatient psychiatric treatment within the state mental health system; and the department shall be empowered to receive and investigate reports of all other suspected instances of institutional abuse or neglect. Either the department of justice or the commissioner of the department or both may adopt rules consistent with this authority to investigate such reports and take appropriate action for the protection of children.