(a) To care for any dependent, having a settlement in the county or city, who is not otherwise cared for: Provided, however, That no applicant for public nursing home care under the medical assistance for the aged provisions of the Public Assistance Law² who resides in Pennsylvania shall be rendered ineligible for such care by lack of settlement in the county or city;

(b) To contract with other local authorities for the care of any dependent;

(c) To contract with any association in Pennsylvania organized to provide a home or employment for deaf and dumb or blind persons having a settlement in the county or city, or to care for any dependent having a settlement in the county or city who is deaf and dumb or blind or to help him through employment;

(d) To contribute moneys to the county to pay all or part of the county cost of maintaining children in foster homes and in institutions and homes for children;

(e) To pay the cost or part of the cost of the care and maintenance of mental and other patients confined in institutions, State mental hospitals, and other State institutions, in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by law in the case of poor districts, and to assume the obligations imposed by law on poor districts in respect to such care and maintenance. In like manner the Commonwealth shall be liable to institution districts, maintaining institutions for mental patients, for payment of part of the cost of the care and maintenance of such mental patients, in the same manner as provided by law in respect to the liability of the Commonwealth to poor districts;

(f) To take any other action authorized or required by law.

(g) To contract with any individual, association, corporation, institution or governmental agency, for the purpose of providing foster home care for persons over eighteen years of age if, in the discretion of the local authorities, such foster home care is advisable. The local authorities may expend funds for such foster home care in addition to any funds paid by the Commonwealth or any individual, association, corporation, institution or governmental agency to or for such persons over eighteen years of age;

(h) To require that any person cared for in an institution as defined herein shall pay for the cost of his care to the extent of his available resources.

(i) To provide or to contract with any individual, association, corporation or governmental agency to provide care and services designed to help dependents and potential dependents to live outside of the county institution.