A shelter home: shall provide clients with a temporary residence and necessary counseling to link clients to appropriate community services to stabilize the clients’ living conditions; shall accept, from the police and other referral sources in the community, clients for temporary shelter; shall conform to applicable State and local fire codes, health codes, and zoning ordinances; and is subject to the regulations adopted by the Department. The Department shall: establish standards of care and admission policies for shelter homes; monitor the operation of the shelter homes; and annually evaluate the effectiveness of the shelter homes. The Department may contract with private nonprofit organizations to operate the Program.