The department of social and health services and the department of health are authorized to charge fees for services provided unless otherwise prohibited by law. The fees may be sufficient to cover the full cost of the service provided if practical or may be charged on an ability-to-pay basis if practical. This section does not supersede other statutory authority enabling the assessment of fees by the departments. Whenever the department of social and health services is authorized by law to collect total or partial reimbursement for the cost of its providing care of or exercising custody over any person, the department shall collect the reimbursement to the extent practical.

Effective date—Severability—1981 1st ex.s. c 6: See notes following RCW 74.04.005.