There is hereby created a body corporate and politic constituting a public corporation and governmental instrumentality known as the "Commonwealth Mental Health Research Foundation," referred to in this subarticle as the foundation. The foundation shall be administered exclusively in accordance with the provisions of this subarticle. The foundation is hereby constituted an instrumentality of the Commonwealth and the exercise by the foundation of powers and duties conferred upon it by this act shall be deemed and held to be an essential governmental function of the Commonwealth.
62 P.S. § 1141