53-1-603. Powers and duties of department of public health and human services. The department of public health and human services shall:

(1) adopt rules for the admission, custody, transfer, and release of persons in department programs except as otherwise provided by law. However, rules adopted by the department may not amend or alter the statutory powers and duties of the board of pardons and parole.

(2) subject to the functions of the department of administration, lease or purchase lands for use by institutions and classify those lands to determine those that may be most profitably used for agricultural purposes, taking into consideration the needs of all institutions for the food products that can be grown or produced on the lands and the relative value of agricultural programs in the treatment or rehabilitation of the persons confined in the institutions;

(3) use the staff and services of other state agencies and units of the Montana university system, within their respective statutory functions, to carry out its functions under this title;

(4) propose programs to the legislature to meet the projected long-range needs of institutions, including programs and facilities for the diagnosis, treatment, care, and aftercare of persons placed in institutions; and

(5) encourage the establishment of programs at the local level for the prevention and rehabilitation of disabilities as they relate to mental illness and chemical dependency.