A. The department may establish and administer geriatric hospitals or units to receive and care for persons who are elderly or infirm who have been discharged by a hospital for persons who have a mental illness and for other persons who are elderly or infirm and in need of nursing and medical care. Such hospitals or units may be established on sites designated by the department, provided that no such geriatric hospital or unit may be established on any site located more than five air miles from the administrative office of Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System or more than one air mile from the administrative office of Central Louisiana State Hospital. Persons admitted to such geriatric hospitals or units or their responsible relatives shall pay the cost of their maintenance and care.

            B. The geriatric hospital at Jackson, Louisiana, known as Villa Feliciana, is created and established, which hospital shall be under the administration of the Louisiana Department of Health. The hospital shall hereafter be designated as Villa Feliciana Medical Complex.

            Added by Acts 1962, No. 160, §1. Amended by Acts 1967, No. 91, §1; Acts 1972, No. 253; Acts 1974, No. 294, §1; Acts 1978, No. 786, §3, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1987, No. 617, §1; Acts 1993, No. 170, §1, eff. May 31, 1993; Acts 1997, No. 641, §1; Acts 2006, No. 465, §1, eff. June 15, 2006; Acts 2014, No. 811, §14, eff. June 23, 2014; Acts 2017, No. 369, §2.