(1) The director shall exercise the following powers and duties in addition to all other powers and duties inherent in the position:
(a)  Prescribe such rules as may be necessary for the administration of the department, the conduct and duties of the employees, the orderly and efficient management of department business, and the custody, use and preservation of department records, papers, books and property belonging to the state;
(b)  Employ such personnel as may be deemed necessary, prescribe their duties and fix their compensation within the limits provided by the state personnel system law;
(c)  Administer oaths for all purposes required in the discharge of his duties;
(d)  Prescribe the qualifications of all personnel of the department on a nonpartisan merit basis, in accordance with the Idaho personnel system law, provided however, that the administrators in charge of any division of the department, and the administrators in charge of the state hospital north, state hospital south, state hospital west, and southwest Idaho treatment center shall serve at the pleasure of the director;
(e)  Create such units, sections and subdivisions as are or may be necessary for the proper and efficient functioning of the department.
(2)  The department is empowered to acquire, by purchase, lease or exchange, any property which in the judgment of the department is needful for the operation of the facilities and programs for which it is responsible and to dispose of, by sale, lease or exchange, any property which in the judgment of the department is not needful for the operation of the same.