(a) If a county funded under this Act provides bed space by contract to one or more other counties, the county providing bed space shall negotiate with the other county(ies) to reduce contract costs based on the host county's cost of providing the bed space, excluding the State contribution. The Department shall not intervene in the outcome of those inter-county contract matters.

(b) If two or more counties jointly operate a camp by a joint powers agreement or other contractual arrangement, each participating county shall join in approving a single application for funds submitted under these provisions. Payments by the State shall be provided to the county in which the camp is located, with the expectation that each participating county will share those payments consistent with their inter-county legal agreements. All of the regulations under this Act are jointly binding on the counties which jointly operate any camp.