(a) Neither the State nor a county institution district or its successor shall be required to expend public funds for services described in section 704.1¹ on behalf of a child until such child has exhausted his eligibility and receipt of benefits under all other existing or future private, public, local, State or Federal programs other than programs funded by the act of October 20, 1966 (3rd Sp.Sess., P.L. 96, No. 6),² known as the “Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966.”

(b) Upon exhaustion of such eligibility as aforesaid, the Commonwealth and the county institution districts or their successors shall share the financial obligation accruing under section 704.1 to the extent such obligations are not borne by the Federal Government or any private person or agency.

(c) It is the intention of this section that its provisions be construed so as to maintain and not decrease or destroy any eligibility of any person, any facility of the State or any political subdivision to receive any Federal assistance, grants or funds.