Miss. Code Ann. § 41-7-71

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State of Mississippi that a patient or resident in a state institution whose estate is sufficient, or, if not, who has (a) a spouse; or (b) one or more parent(s) if said patient or resident is under the age of twenty-one (21) years and unmarried, who is(are) financially able to pay all or any part of the cost of such hospitalization or treatment, shall be required to pay for all or part of his or her maintenance in such institution. No resident of this state shall be refused admission to or treatment in any of the institutions enumerated in Section 41-7-73 because of his inability to pay all or any of said costs. It shall be the duty of the director or the governing board, as appropriate, of the admitting institution to ascertain the financial ability of the patient or resident and to establish an amount to be paid monthly based on current ability to pay, with a continuing claim for the difference in the amount paid and the maximum charges assessed that could be made as determined pursuant to Section 41-7-79.