Section 234. Compensation and liability for support and care in counties outside the city of New York

(a) Whenever a child is  detained,  placed
  or  committed  under the provisions of this act to an authorized agency,
  or to any person other than his parent and  is  retained  in  accordance
  with  the  rules  of the state board of social welfare, compensation for
  his  care  and  maintenance  shall  be  a  charge  on  the  county.  The
  compensation  paid  by  the county for care and maintenance of the child
  may be charged back to a city or town in the county in  accordance  with
  and  to  the  extent  permitted by the provisions of the social services
  law.  All bills for such care and maintenance to  be  paid  from  public
  funds shall be paid by the county treasurer from moneys appropriated for
  public  assistance  and  care  in the county social services district by
  warrant of the commissioner of social services.
    (b) The court may, after issuance and service  of  an  order  to  show
  cause  upon  the parent or other person having the duty under the law to
  support such child, adjudge that such parent or other person  shall  pay
  to  the  court such sum as will cover in whole or in part the support of
  such child, and willful failure to pay such sum may, in  the  discretion
  of  the  court,  be punished as for a criminal contempt of court. When a
  person liable to such payment on order, as herein  provided,  is  before
  the  court  in the proceeding relating to the commitment or placement, a
  formal order to show cause may be dispensed with in  the  discretion  of
  the court.
    (c)  (i)  The  social  services  district  from  which  the detention,
  placement or commitment is made shall be entitled to  be  reimbursed  by
  another  social  services  district  for  its  expenditures for care and
  maintenance of the child, if, and to the extent that, it would have been
  entitled to be reimbursed therefor by such other district had  the  care
  been  provided  under  and  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of the social
  services law. The commissioner of social services of the social services
  district from which the commitment was made may enforce  repayment  from
  the  other social services district in accordance with the provisions of
  the social services law.
    (ii) In accordance with the provisions of the social services law  and
  the  rules  and  regulations  of the state department of social services
  relating to state  charges,  and  from  funds  available  to  the  state
  department  of  social  services therefor, the state shall reimburse the
  social services district for the full cost of care  and  maintenance  of
  the  child,  in  the event the child is a state charge as defined by the
  social services law.