In addition to the functions and duties provided by law to be performed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services, the secretary shall direct those divisions, offices, sections, or units of the Department of Human Services which he or she may designate to:
(1) Serve in a liaison capacity for the Department of Human Services and the secretary thereof with the boards and the directors of the various institutional facilities of the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services in efforts to coordinate services provided citizens of this state through those institutions with programs of the department for the benefit of neglected, dependent, and delinquent juveniles, individuals with mental illness, and individuals with intellectual disabilities or individuals with developmental disabilities of this state;
(2) Cooperate with the administrators of the various institutions under the direction and control of the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services in the administration of fiscal and budgetary policies applicable to all divisions and programs of the department as promulgated by the secretary thereof and as directed by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State;
(3) Offer assistance to the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services in developing biennial budgets and annual, quarterly, and monthly fiscal plans for the operation of those institutions and assist the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services in complying with the budget and fiscal policies promulgated by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services for the control and management of the funds made available to the department and its various offices, divisions, programs, and institutions. In connection therewith, the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services shall be furnished records of all accounts, expenditures, funds, and fund balances available to each institution for its operation and support;
(4)
(A) Coordinate, with each institution and its administrator under the control and direction of the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services, the purchasing policies and procedures of the department as promulgated by the secretary thereof to assure that all those institutions comply with the uniform purchasing practices and policies of the department and with the Arkansas Procurement Law, § 19-11-201 et seq., and the rules promulgated thereunder by the State Procurement Director.
(B) However, each of the various institutions under the control of the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board and the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services is authorized to have institutional purchasing officials who shall be authorized to make purchases in behalf of those institutions which are not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State Procurement Director, but all such purchases shall be made in compliance with the uniform purchasing practices and policies promulgated by the secretary to be applicable to all divisions, offices, sections, or units of the department and shall be in conformance with the Arkansas Procurement Law, § 19-11-201 et seq., and rules promulgated by the State Procurement Director; and
(5)
(A) Coordinate the policies promulgated by the secretary for the administration of personnel and personnel records within the various divisions, offices, sections, or units of the department with the Department of Human Services State Institutional System Board, the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services within the Department of Human Services, and the administrators of each of those institutions to assure that all employee records and personnel records conform to the personnel policies and records promulgated by the secretary and to the personnel policies and practices laws of the State of Arkansas.
(B) Nothing in this act shall prohibit or restrict the right of each of the institutional boards to employ, promote, discipline, or discharge any employee of any of those institutions so long as those actions are within the overall policies and procedures promulgated by the secretary governing employee practices or actions.