(1)    The department’s primary responsibility to elderly persons is to assure that all elderly and disabled persons have available and accessible a continuum of care or a wide range of community and supportive services so that they may remain in their homes and neighborhoods for as long as it is possible. The department shall be the mechanism by which governmental and nongovernmental agencies may coordinate their policies, plans and activities with regard to the aging. To this end it shall:

      (a)    Conduct a continuous review of the scope and degree of coordination of all state programs and activities on the aging and make recommendations to the appropriate agencies regarding the expansion, coordination, consolidation and reorganization of particular activities as a means of developing a more effective and efficient total program for the aging.

      (b)    Examine the need for future activities, programs, services and facilities for the aging on the state, local and voluntary levels.

      (c)    Encourage, promote and aid in the establishment of programs and services for the aging within subordinate units of government and nongovernmental groups, and assist organizations and committees in the development of programs in such manner as the division deems appropriate.

      (d)    Gather and disseminate information about programs, services, activities and facilities for the aging.

      (e)    Conduct a continuous program to stimulate public awareness and understanding of the needs and potentials of the aging.

      (f)    Provide consultant service to assist in the development of local housing for the aged.

   (2)   The several state agencies shall cooperate with the department in making available to it such available data as will facilitate the work of the department. The department shall make available to the several state agencies such information as it secures which will facilitate the effective operation of their programs for the aging.

   (2m)   The department:

      (a)    In accordance with the requirements of 42 U.S. Code § 3025, 3026 and 3027, shall do all of the following:

         1.    Divide the state into distinct planning and service areas and designate a public or private nonprofit agency or organization as the area agency on aging for each planning and service area.

         2.    Develop formulas for distribution within the state of funds received under 42 U.S. Code § 3001 to 3030. The department need not promulgate as rules under ch. 227 the formulas developed under this subdivision.

         3.    Receive area plans prepared and developed by area agencies on aging designated under subd. 1.

         4.    Contract with each area agency on aging that is designated under subd. 1. to do all of the following:

            a.    Distribute, according to the formulas developed by the department, state or federal funds to a county, to the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band or to a private, nonprofit organization for the purposes that are established in an area plan that is specified in subd. 3.

            b.    Monitor programs of services for individuals who are at least 60 years of age that are provided under an area plan by a county or the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band.

            c.    Provide technical assistance and training.

         5.    Ensure that each area agency on aging meets the requirements that are specified for an area agency on aging under 42 U.S. Code § 3025 and 3026.

         6.    Establish and operate, either directly or by contract or other arrangement with a public agency or private, nonprofit organization, other than an agency or organization that licenses or certifies long-term care services or is an association of providers of long-term care services, a long-term care ombudsman program.

      (b)    May operate the foster grandparent project specified under 42 U.S. Code § 5011 (a). If the department operates that project, the department shall distribute funds from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (dh) to supplement any federal foster grandparent project funds received under 42 U.S. Code § 5011 (a).

      (c)    May operate the older American community service employment program under 42 U.S. Code § 3056.

   (3)   The department may accept, on behalf of the state, and use gifts and grants for the purposes of this section. It shall use, to the fullest extent legally possible, all available grants from federal, state and other public or private sources to fund community home care services or programs which offer alternatives to institutionalization and which provide comprehensive services at the community level. The state plan for the older Americans act shall detail objectives designed to accomplish this purpose.

   (4)   The secretary shall appoint such technical staff as is necessary to carry out the functions of this program.

   (5)   

      (a)    From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (dh), the department shall provide a state supplement to the federal congregate nutrition projects under 42 U.S. Code § 3030e, in effect on April 30, 1980, which will promote expansion of projects throughout the state and, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (kn), the department shall provide a state supplement to the federal congregate nutrition projects of $450,000 for home-delivered meals and $50,000 for congregate meals. Except as provided in par. (b), the department shall allocate these funds based on the formulas developed by the department under sub. (2m) (a) 2. A county that receives federal funds for congregate nutrition projects on or after July 1, 1977, may not receive under this paragraph an amount that is less than the 1976-77 allocation as a result of the program expansion. This paragraph does not require that federal limitations on the use of federal congregate nutrition funds for home delivered meals apply to the state supplement.

      (b)    The department may use up to 10 percent of the funds provided under par. (a) to reduce county losses, if any, as a result of changes in census data or revisions in the formula for distribution under sub. (2m) (a) 2.