Sec. 1. Every county that maintains, in addition to any other charitable institution permitted by law, a county home that provides for the care of indigent individuals as provided by law:
(1) shall receive and support in the county home indigent individuals who:
(A) are lawfully settled in the county; and
(B) placed in the county home by the township trustee as the administrator of township assistance, with the consent of the board of commissioners of the county; or
(2) may contract with other counties or with other charitable institutions located in Indiana for the relief and support of indigent individuals maintained as a public charge of the county, and may levy taxes for that purpose.