(a) It is the goal of the State of Georgia that every citizen be provided an adequate level of disability care through a unified system of disability services. To this end, the department shall, to the maximum extent possible, allocate funds available for services so as to provide an adequate disability services program available to all citizens of this state. In funding and providing disability services, the department and the regional offices shall ensure that all providers, public or private, meet minimum standards of quality and competency as established by the department.

(b) Fees generated, if any, by hospitals, community service boards, and other private and public providers, providing services under contract or purview of the department, shall be reported to the department and applied wherever appropriate against the cost of providing, and increasing the quantity and quality of, disability services; provided, however, that income to a community service board derived from fees may be used to further the purposes of such community service board as found in Code Section 37-3-6.1, subject to appropriations. The department shall be responsible for developing procedures to properly account for the collection, remittance, and reporting of generated fees. The department shall work with the community service boards and other public or private providers to develop an appropriate mechanism for accounting for the funds and resources contributed to local disability services by counties and municipalities within the area. Such contributions are not required to be submitted to either the community service boards or the department; however, appropriate documentation and accounting entries shall make certain that the county or municipality is credited, and if necessary compensated, appropriately for such contribution of funds or resources.

(c) No person shall be denied disability services provided by the state as defined in this chapter based on age, gender, race, ethnic origin, or inability to pay; provided, however, unless otherwise prohibited by law or contract, providers of disability services may deny nonemergency disability services to any person who is able to pay, but who refuses to pay. The department shall develop a state-wide sliding fee scale for the provision of disability services and shall promulgate standards that define emergency disability services and refusal to pay.