1. (a) The board shall establish, maintain, and operate a nursing home or other facility or service for the care and treatment of aged, convalescent, and chronically ill individuals.

2. (b) The board has the following powers and duties:

   1. (1)

      1. (i) to accept gifts, legacies, bequests, or endowments for purposes of the board; and
      2. (ii) unless otherwise specified by the donor, in the discretion of the board, to spend both principal and income of a gift, legacy, bequest, or endowment for the purposes of the board;

   2. (2)

      1. (i) to acquire and hold property in the name of the county commissioners or county council of the county;
      2. (ii) to preserve and administer property acquired by the board; and
      3. (iii) to sell or otherwise dispose of property acquired by the board;

   3. (3) to provide adequate facilities and services for the care and treatment of aged, convalescent, and chronically ill individuals, including:

      1. (i) physical care;
      2. (ii) medical care;
      3. (iii) nursing care;
      4. (iv) recreational services;
      5. (v) rehabilitative services;
      6. (vi) special education; and
      7. (vii) dissemination of information relating to causes and prevention of chronic and debilitating illnesses;

   4. (4)

      1. (i) subject to item (ii) of this item, to charge fees for admission to and maintenance in a facility and for services provided; and
      2. (ii) to charge fees to indigent individuals in direct proportion to the individual's ability to pay;
   5. (5) to apply to the purposes of the board all money, assets, or property the board receives;
   6. (6) to adopt rules and regulations for the board's facilities and services;
   7. (7) to cooperate with and assist, as much as practicable, any unit of the State, the United States, any subdivision of either, or any person;
   8. (8) to hire a director of any facility or service and to provide for additional employees and the qualifications and wages of the employees;
   9. (9) to require any facility or service to maintain standards to qualify for a license as a hospital under Title 19, Subtitle 3, Part III of the Health--General Article; and
   10. (10) to integrate each of the board's facilities with those of the Secretary of Health.

Added by Acts 2013, c. 119, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2013. Amended by Acts 2017, c. 62, § 6.