(a) The commissioner shall plan, promote, establish, develop, coordinate, evaluate, and conduct programs and services of prevention, diagnosis, examination, care, treatment, rehabilitation, training, and research for the benefit of the mentally ill. Such programs shall include but not be limited to in-patient, out-patient, partial hospitalization, day care, emergency, rehabilitative, and other appropriate treatments and services. He or she shall take all actions that are necessary, desirable, or proper to implement the purposes of this chapter and to carry out the purposes and objectives of the department within the amounts made available therefor by appropriation, grant, gift, devise, bequest, or allocation from the mental health services fund established under section ninety-seven-f of the state finance law.

(b) The activities described in subdivision (a) of this section may be undertaken in cooperation and agreement with other offices of the department and with other departments or agencies of the state, local or federal government, or with other organizations and individuals.