Any mentally incompetent person who is entitled to public assistance or who has the right to apply for public assistance but cannot make application because of his incompetency and who does not have a duly appointed and qualified legal representative, may have a curator appointed for him solely for the purpose of representing his interest in qualifying for, receiving and administering welfare benefits. The appointment shall be made by any court of competent jurisdiction, subject to the proceedings hereinafter outlined.
La. R.S. § 46:431