(a) The Division of Corrections may establish a correctional center nursery in one or more of the correctional centers for women operated by the division. The program would allow eligible inmates and children born to them while in the custody of the division to reside together in the institution. In establishing this program, neither the inmate's participation in the program nor any provision of this article shall affect, modify or interfere with the inmate's custodial rights to the child nor does it establish legal custody of the child with the division.

(b) As used in this article:

(1) "Correctional Center Nursery Program" means the program authorized by this article.

(2) "Public assistance" means all forms of assistance, including monetary assistance from any public source paid either to the mother or child or any other person on behalf of the child.

(3) "Support" means the payment of money, including interest:

(A) For a child or spouse ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, whether the payment is ordered in an emergency, temporary, permanent or modified order, the amount of unpaid support shall bear simple interest from the date it accrued, at a rate of $10 upon $100 per annum, and proportionately for a greater or lesser sum, or for a longer or shorter time;

(B) To third parties on behalf of a child or spouse, including, but not limited to, payments to medical, dental or educational providers, payments to insurers for health and hospitalization insurance, payments of residential rent or mortgage payments, payments on an automobile or payments for day care; or

(C) For a mother, ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, for the necessary expenses incurred by or for the mother in connection with her confinement or of other expenses in connection with the pregnancy of the mother.

(4) "Support order" means an award of support by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.