53-6-603. Long-term care service development -- coordination -- delivery. (1) The department of public health and human services shall cooperate in the development, implementation, and coordination of state programs of assistance for the elderly or persons with disabilities.
(2) The planning and delivery systems that provide state programs of assistance for the elderly and persons with disabilities must be jointly coordinated to foster:
(a) efficient and cost-effective financing, service delivery, intake, eligibility, assessment, and other measures, as appropriate; and
(b) general development of service systems that may serve persons with either private means or public means of financing services at a reasonable cost.
(3) State programs of assistance for the elderly or for persons with disabilities should be made available in the most appropriate, most cost-effective, and least restrictive residential setting integrated into a community.
(4) State programs of assistance that provide services or oversight in order to maintain or to protect a person's health and social life should recognize the person's dignity and independence.