The New York Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled was established in 1978 as an independent agency responsible for monitoring and overseeing the quality of care in the New York State mental health and developmental disabilities service systems in institutions and community programs. In addition, the Commission was responsible for administering the federally funded legal advocacy programs that protect the civil rights of persons with disabilities through a network of local agencies across New York State. The Commission provides independent policy advice to the Governor and Legislature based on policy analysis and cost-effectiveness studies, investigations into allegations of patient abuse and neglect, unnatural deaths, and Medicaid fraud and abuse. Clarence Sundram was the founding Chairman of the Commission and served until 1998 under three governors.