The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The State Department of Developmental Services estimates that about 120,000 direct support professionals and about 5,500 regional center service coordinators served approximately 370,000 consumers in fiscal year 2021–22.
(b) Workforce capacity among direct support professionals and regional center service coordinators is a growing concern in the developmental services system.
(c) Based on annual projected regional center caseload growth and assumptions about direct support professional turnover, the developmental services system is projected to need approximately 33,000 direct support professionals and 2,700 regional center service coordinators over the next five years.
(d) To be responsive to California’s changing demographics, the department should support regional centers and service providers in undertaking a purposeful approach to recruiting and hiring workers from diverse communities and explore technological advancements as a complement to workers who provide direct services.