Contracts

The department may contract with local voluntary associations, nonprofit corporations, police juries, school boards, municipalities, or other public agencies providing for the administration of such centers by the contracting local authority out of any funds, including local, state, and federal funds or a combination thereof made available for the operation and maintenance of community behavioral health and developmental disabilities centers which have accepted allocation of funds as herein provided. The allocation of funds as herein authorized shall not have the effect of making the employees or officials of a community behavioral health or developmental disabilities center state employees or state officials. Such persons shall be employees or officials of the local governing authority or private corporation or association and the state shall not be held responsible by any court for the negligent act of any such persons. The department may stipulate in any such contract that it reserves the right to consult with local authorities relative to program, management, personnel, and facilities of a community behavioral health or developmental disabilities center.