(a) Notwithstanding any other law and to the extent consistent with or required by federal law or court order, a county or counties may contract directly with, or otherwise request, the State Department of Health Care Services or the State Department of Social Services, as applicable, to provide or administer the following programs, services, or activities:

(1) The Drug Medi-Cal Treatment Program pursuant to Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 14124.20) of Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2) Agency adoptions pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16100) of Part 4 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 8700) of Part 2 of Division 13 of the Family Code. Notwithstanding any other law, a license issued pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code shall not be required of a county that provides agency adoption program services.

(3) The resource family approval program pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 16519.5) of Chapter 5 of Part 4 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any portion thereof.

(b) Nothing in paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) shall prevent a county from providing funding for any of the programs, services, or activities through a contract with another county, joint powers agreement, or county consortium.

(c) (1) Contracts awarded pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be exempt from the requirements of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10100) and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. Contracts with the State Department of Health Care Services shall include reimbursement to the state for the cost of providing the services or activities in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), subject to the terms of the contract. Those reimbursement amounts shall not exceed the funding provided to counties for specified programs.

(2) Contracts awarded pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) shall be exempt from the requirements of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10100) and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. Contracts with, or other requests of, the State Department of Social Services shall include reimbursement to the state for the costs of providing the services or activities in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a).

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 612, Sec. 13. (AB 1997) Effective January 1, 2017.)