(a) Assistance to counties.--From the sum appropriated to the Department of Public Welfare¹ for the purposes of this act, the department shall distribute funds to the county mental health and mental retardation offices, under section 509 of the act of October 20, 1966 (3rd Sp.Sess., P.L. 96, No. 6), known as the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966,² for the provision of early intervention services to children from birth to age two, inclusive. The county offices may meet their obligation to assure appropriate early intervention services to all eligible children through contracts with public or private agencies that meet the requirements of the regulations and program standards developed under this act. The county offices shall assure annually that the service providers receiving funds are in compliance with the Commonwealth's regulations and standards.

(b) Federal benefits.--Nothing in this act shall preclude medical or other assistance available under Title V or XIX of the Social Security Act (Public Law 74-271, 42 U.S.C. § 701 et seq. or § 1396 et seq.) or any other benefits available under Federal law.

(c) Education.--In order to facilitate the transfer of responsibility for eligible children from the Department of Public Welfare to the Department of Education at one time each year, consistent with the beginning of the school year, the Secretary of Public Welfare may delegate responsibility for serving certain children under three years of age to the Department of Education and may accept a delegation of responsibility from the Secretary of Education under section 304(c)³ to serve certain children over the age of three.

(d) Use of funds.--From the sum of State funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the Department of Public Welfare for this act, the department shall use 2% to 4% of the appropriation for personnel training and program technical assistance.