Enacting the career advancement, resources, employment and supports for the disability workforce act, providing for career education programs for students and career enhancement programs for professionals, requiring performance-based contracting for disability services providers, facilitating choice in services by individuals with disabilities, mandating rate parity across all state waiver programs, providing for an online data portal system for waitlist management and services-related communications, requiring the secretary of labor to publish information regarding the disability service provider workforce and providing that direct support workers may be covered by the state health plan.

HB 2310, the "Kansas CARES Act," creates career pathways for direct support workers serving individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities. It requires new career education programs for students and professional development for current workers, mandates performance-based contracts for disability service providers, and ensures equal payment rates across all state disability waiver programs. The bill also establishes an online portal to manage waitlists and service communications, and requires the state to publish workforce data while expanding health coverage for direct support workers. These changes directly affect individuals with disabilities (by improving service choice), direct support workers (through career and health benefits), and disability service providers (through new contracting rules).