The department shall have power to acquire, establish, maintain, and operate “minimum security” facilities for the care, custody, education, and treatment of children with less serious behavior problems. Such facilities may include parental schools or homes, farm units, and forest camps. Admission to such minimum security facilities shall be by juvenile court commitment or by transfer as herein otherwise provided. In carrying out the purposes of this section, the department may establish or acquire the use of such facilities by gift, purchase, lease, contract, or other arrangement with existing public entities, and to that end the secretary may execute necessary leases, contracts, or other agreements. In establishing forest camps, the department may contract with other divisions of the state and the federal government; including, but not limited to, the department of natural resources, the state parks and recreation commission, the U.S. forest service, and the national park service, on a basis whereby such camps may be made as nearly as possible self-sustaining. Under any such arrangement the contracting agency shall reimburse the department for the value of services which may be rendered by the inmates of a camp.

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 67: See note following RCW 19.28.351.