The county board of social services is authorized to enter into contracts with any governmental or private agency, or with any person, whereby the board of social services agrees to render services to or for such agency or person in exchange for a fee to cover the cost of rendering such service. This authority is to be limited to services voluntarily rendered and voluntarily received, but shall not apply where the charging of a fee for a particular service is specifically prohibited by statute or regulation. The fees to be charged under the authority of this section are to be based upon a plan recommended by the county director of social services and approved by the local board of social services and the board of county commissioners. In no event is the fee charged to exceed the cost to the board of social services. Fee policies may not conflict with rules and regulations adopted by the Social Services Commission or Department of Health and Human Services regarding fees.

The fees collected under the authority of this section are to be deposited to the account of the social services department so that they may be expended for social services purposes in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of Chapter 159, the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act. No individual employee is to receive any compensation over and above his regular salary as a result of rendering services for which a fee is charged.

The county board of social services shall annually report to the county commissioners receipts received under this section. Fees collected under this section shall not be used to replace any other funds, either State or local, for the program for which the fees were collected. (1981, c. 275, s. 1; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a).)