Any developmentally disabled person may be granted care in a licensed institution or other suitably licensed or certified facility. The State Department of Developmental Services may pay for such care at a rate not exceeding the average cost of care of patients in the state hospitals as determined by the Director of Developmental Services. Such payments shall be made from funds available to the State Department of Developmental Services for that purpose.

The State Department of Developmental Services may make payments for services for developmentally disabled patients in private facilities released or discharged from state hospitals on the basis of reimbursement for reasonable cost, using the same standards and rates consistent with those established by the State Department of Developmental Services for similar types of care. Such payments shall be made within the limitation of funds appropriated to the State Department of Developmental Services for that purpose. No payments for care or services of a developmentally disabled person shall be made by the State Department of Developmental Services pursuant to this section, unless requested by the regional center having jurisdiction over the patient and provision for such care or services is made in the areawide plan for the developmentally disabled.