The Alabama Boys Industrial School, the Alabama Training School for Girls and the Alabama Industrial School shall be under the control of the youth services board. All duties, responsibilities, authority, power, assets, appropriations, liabilities, contractual rights and obligations and property rights, whether accruing or vesting in the aforementioned institutions before or after September 5, 1973, shall be vested in the youth services board. It is the intention of the legislature that out of moneys available to the board the first priority shall be given to insuring that the services provided by the financial resources available to the Alabama Boys Industrial School, the Alabama Training School for Girls and the Alabama Industrial School shall be maintained at least at the level existing on January 22, 1975. All youths in the custody of or committed to the Alabama Boys Industrial School, the Alabama Training School for Girls and the Alabama Industrial School shall be in the legal custody of the department of youth services.