§ 401. Births to inmates of public homes. No commissioner of public welfare shall provide care in a public home for any pregnant woman during confinement unless such public home has adequate hospital or infirmary facilities, is equipped to give the necessary medical and nursing care and has a certificate from the department authorizing such public home to care for maternity cases. Certificates authorizing a public home to care for maternity cases may be issued by the department for a one-year period, subject to renewal, but may be revoked at any time by the department. If the public home is not so certified, a commissioner of public welfare shall, a reasonable time before the expected confinement of any pregnant woman inmate, provide suitable maintenance and medical care for her in a hospital or some other place equipped to give adequate care.