Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council received a report regarding the state of mental and behavioral health in Arkansas. 

This report was months in the making. It makes clear that medical professionals are facing a mental health crisis in our state but the collaborative efforts involved in this study also provide a path forward to improving care. 

Act 802 of 2021 required a study of Mental and Behavioral Health conditions in Arkansas.

The purpose of the study was to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the mental and behavioral health resources and care currently available and to recommend legislation to the General Assembly. 

For the last several months, legislators, mental health providers, medical professionals, and behavioral health stakeholders have been meeting to discuss various services offered to persons suffering from mental health issues. The group has also been discussing the current difficulty is providing these services without a professionally trained workforce. 

Representatives of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics testified that many pediatricians in the state are spending the majority of their day on working behavioral health right now and struggle to find access to proper care for their patients.  

Arkansas Children’s Hospital reported seeing a 25% increase in mental health and behavioral health cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

And medical professionals testified that more than 36,000 adolescents in Arkansas had a major depressive episode in the last year. 

Arkansas is not unique in facing these challenges. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year. The CDC also states that 1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness. 

The Department of Human Services participated in these working groups and discussed what could be changed by the policy. As a result of the concerns raised in the working group, DHS agreed to several policy changes which will allow Medicaid providers to be reimbursed for more preventive care and provide more oversight for at-home care. 

In the 94th General Assembly, we could see several pieces of legislation introduced as a direct result of this study.

 The final report states that legislation is being drafted, studied, and considered which will address several concerns raised including increasing the number of Psychological Examiners practicing in the state, enhancing the availability of intensive treatment for young children and adolescents, and advocating for school counselors to be trained on suicide awareness and prevention.  

We have posted the study on our website www.arkansashouse.org. 

We want to remind anyone struggling with a mental health crisis to call 988 to be connected to resources near you.

Arctic front blasting the state on Thursday

An arctic front will blast through the state on Thursday with very cold air and gusty winds accompanying the boundary. 

Wind chill warnings and advisories have been issued along with a winter weather advisory across the north for several inches of snow. Strong winds will blow this snow about as it will be dry and powdery with low moisture content.

Arctic Air to Blast Arkansas This Week

The latest guidance is showing the front moving through earlier than previous thinking and crossing the Mississippi River by mid to late afternoon.

We are still expecting a blast of bitterly cold air behind the front with dangerous wind chills by Friday morning. The arctic air will settle over the state through Christmas with only some moderation expected. The winds will slacken on Friday as the system pulls away but the cold will remain. There is currently a wind chill watch in effect for the north with wind chill advisories or warnings likely across most if not all of the state with time.

Finally there could be some snow across mainly the north and northwest with an inch or two possible but most areas will see less than that as the system will be moving very quickly, moisture is limited and the window for accumulating snow is relatively small.

Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service in Little Rock

Confidence continues to increase on a severe weather event for most of the southeastern half of the state beginning Tuesday afternoon/evening and potentially persisting into the early morning hours of Wednesday.

The Day 3 Storm Prediction Center Convective Outlook brought an expansion of the Enhanced Risk area into much of eastern and northeastern Arkansas. Specific timing details will become more evident in the next day or so, however additional changes to the forecast risk area are still possible within the next few days.

National Weather Service Winter Weather Briefing for Arkansas

We are still on track to seeing some wintry weather over parts of northern and western Arkansas late today and tonight. Rain will mix with and eventually changeover to all snow by early this evening, across the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. Snow accumulations of one to two inches remain possible, especially in the highest elevations.

While this will be a quick hitting event, there may be minor travel impacts. Roads in some areas may become snow/slush covered, with icy patches on bridges and overpasses.

Click on picture above the Winter Weather Briefing PDF

Increased Threat of Severe Weather Friday Evening in Arkansas

A fairly major update has been made to the severe weather forecast through tonight. Here are the main points: 

Moderate Risk introduced for all of western, southwestern AR

- Increased threat for tornadoes, some potentially significant, in and near southwest 

  AR. Damaging hail is also possible.

- Intense winds (up to 70-80 mph) possible as storms move across AR late evening 

  and overnight

Enhanced Risk expanded to include the southern half of AR.

Onset timing remains the same (5-7 PM), but storms will move across AR faster than previously thought with storms moving east of the MS River by 3-4 AM.

The attached briefing contains updated graphics pertaining to the severe threat and timing. 

Potential for Damaging Winds, Storms, Heavy Rainfall, and Possible Tornadoes for Friday

A storm system will approach the Natural State on Friday afternoon and complete its progression across the state by early Saturday morning. Click on the link above for a briefing outlining this event.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Did you know that out of the over 400,000 children and teens in foster care in the United States, over 100,000 of them are waiting to be adopted? Right now, there are 292 children in Arkansas whose parents’ parental rights have been terminated and are currently seeking a forever family.

November is National Adoption Month. It is a time to increase awareness of adoption issues, bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the foster care system, and emphasize the value of youth engagement. On November 3, the Arkansas Department of Human Services will be hosting a National Adoption Month Rally at the State Capitol. The event begins at noon.

In the 2021 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed Act 574, which directed the House Committee on Aging, Children, and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs, and the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth to conduct a study of the best practices for reducing the number of children in foster care. Part of that study includes reviewing the length of time from termination of parental rights to adoption finalization for relative and foster parent adoptions. Significant progress has been made to shorten that time. The committee is scheduled to review a draft of the final report when they meet in November. While we continue our study and work to reduce the number of children entering the foster care system, we encourage you to explore how your family may be able to help.

Last year, the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) launched the Every Day Counts campaign as a reminder for people that every day these children and teens spend in foster care is a day too long because every day counts!

After the launch of the program, Project Zero took on the challenge to give every waiting child a short film by the end of 2021. Project Zero is a non-profit organization whose mission is to diligently and enthusiastically promote adoption through the foster care system with the ultimate goal of finding a forever family for every child who is waiting. These short films have been a critical piece in finding adoptive families for children in foster care. You can find the films and more information about each child in Project Zero’s Arkansas Heart Gallery at www.projectzero.org.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

It is estimated that 225 people die every day from a drug overdose in America. In 2020, 547 people died from a drug overdose in Arkansas.

The current opioid epidemic is one of the deadliest drug epidemics in our history.

October 26 has been proclaimed as Opioid Awareness Day in Arkansas. It is a time for communities and individuals to raise awareness and prevent new victims from falling prey to addiction.

In recent years the Arkansas General Assembly has expanded access to naloxone and created criminal and civil immunities for those who try to get help for an overdose patient.

In 2021, we passed Act 651. This act mandates the co-prescription of an opioid antagonist under certain conditions. One of the conditions includes if the patient has a history of opioid use disorder or drug overdose.

In the 2019 Session, the General Assembly passed Act 646 which provides for controlled substance overdose identification training by law enforcement officers with an emphasis on opioid overdoses. That same year, the legislature passed Act 964 which prohibits a healthcare insurer, including the Arkansas Medicaid Program, from requiring prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment of opioid addiction.

In 2017, the General Assembly passed Act 284 which authorizes pharmacists to dispense naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid-induced overdose.

And in 2015, the Joshua Pauley Act became law. The law provides immunity for those calling for help for someone who is overdosing.

Another way to prevent abuse is to encourage the safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs.

The Arkansas Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 29 from 10 am to 2 pm. This is an opportunity to safely dispose of expired or unused prescription drugs. There are more than 250 locations across the state. You can find the location of events and permanent drop boxes at www.artakeback.org .

UA Cossatot Colts/Lady Colts Benefit Golf Tournament in Nashville

1st Place team

Jon Bunyard pictured with 1st Place team in UA Cossatot 4-Person Scramble Benefit Golf Tournament in Nashville on Saturday - 1st Place score of 57 - Evan Wakefield, Kyler Reeves, Michael Nava, (Chris Singleton - not pictured)

Brittany Moore

Ladies Closest to Hole on #1 - Brittany Moore

Seth Tollett

Men's Long Drive Champion - Seth Tollett

Evan Wakefield

Men's Closest to Hole on #9 - Evan Wakefield

Dextin Wheeler, Seth Tollett

2nd Place Team with a score of 60 - Dextin Wheeler, Seth Tollett, (Braden Young & Griffin Young not pictured)

Cadee Glasgow

Ladies Long Drive Champion - Cadee Glasgow

UA Cossatot Agriculture Projects to be Showcased in Washington, D.C.

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Six agriculture students from UA Cossatot will be attending the annual National Science Foundation Advanced Technician Education (NSF ATE) conference on October 25-28, 2022 in Washington D.C.

This year Keaton Cox, Kaydee Cowling, and Haley Wright are presenting posters about projects conducted by the agriculture department. Three additional students attending the conference include April Klitz, Hannah Honey, and Valerie Smith. UA Cossatot faculty members Kelli Harris and Crystal Sims will also be in attendance.

Cox’s research is about water quality. The students in Natural Resources have been collecting water samples and testing for coliform bacteria, lead, mercury, pH, and other quality factors. The data is recorded through ArcGIS Survey123, including location data which is then mapped.

Cowling and Wright’s project started in the Intro to GIS class in the spring of 2022. They are collaborating with Casey Hardaway at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center to collect location data on fossils found on the management area.

The conference will host more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and their project cohorts to focus on the critical issues related to advanced technological education. Fundamental persons working on ATE projects across the country will partake in the hybrid event. Conference partakers represent community colleges,

business and industry, secondary school systems, and four-year universities covering projects in a wide variety of areas, such as information technology, engineering technology, micro-and nanotechnologies, chemical technology, biotechnology, and other program areas.

The primary goal of the GSTARS project is to design and implement a curriculum that meets the region’s need for technician-level GIS skills in agriculture and related science industries. In addition, the $299,635 grant will create pathways for future GIS Technicians to enter the local workforce.

“This grant has created an amazing opportunity to integrate technology and technical skills, such as GIS data collection and drone operations, into our agriculture and science programs. We are excited to share what our students have been learning at UA Cossatot through the GSTARS grant during the NSF ATE conference," said GSTARS team leader and agriculture faculty, Kelli Harris.

To learn more about this grant and conference, contact Kelli Harris at kharris@cccua.edu. ###

Arkansas Community Colleges announce scholarships for 22 academic all-star students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
October 11, 2022 

For questions or more information, please contact: 

Collin Callaway, Senior Policy Director 

Arkansas Community Colleges 

Cell: 501-554-2146 

ccallaway@arkansascc.org 

HOT SPRINGS (October 11, 2022) – Winners of the Academic All-Star Scholarships were announced today in Hot Springs at the Arkansas Community Colleges annual conference (ACC).  

Governor Asa Hutchinson presented the keynote address at a brunch honoring the 22 student scholarship winners. The students were awarded a full-tuition transfer scholarship to any Arkansas public, four-year university to complete their bachelor’s degree. The combined total for the scholarships are estimated to be more than $500,000.  

“These scholarships will enable our highest-achieving students to reach for their dreams at any of Arkansas’s public, four-year universities,” said Andrea Henderson, ACC Executive Director. “Many of these students are not only working hard to maintain excellent grades but are also adding jobs and parenthood to their list of responsibilities, which makes their accomplishments even more impressive. These students deserve our recognition, and these scholarships are a fantastic way to help them achieve their goals.”  

Each of the 22 public two-year colleges names one student as an “Academic All-Star.” These students maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.25 out of a possible 4.0 and are outstanding campus and community leaders.  

The 22 member institutions of ACC, located throughout the state, serve more than 60,000 Arkansans per year through educational programs, technical training, continuing education, and customized workforce training for today’s businesses and industries.  

Here are the Academic All-Stars and their respective colleges:  

Arkansas Northeastern College 

Maddie Treece 

Arkansas State University  Beebe 

Steven Winchell 

Arkansas State University Mid-South 

Jayden McNair 

Arkansas State University Mountain Home 

Elsie Clark 

Arkansas State University Newport 

Dustin Mars 

Arkansas State University Three Rivers 

Kevin Nard 

Black River Technical College 

Kimberly Stokes 

East Arkansas Community College 

Megan Sullivan 

National Park College 

Tyanna Lindsey 

North Arkansas College 

Marie Kershaw 

Northwest Arkansas Community College 

Lizbeth Cenobio  

Ozarka College  

Sarah Kirby 

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas 

Ashlynne Jenkins 

South Arkansas Community College 

SaKiya Gill 

Southeast Arkansas College 

Verdia Mays 

Southern Arkansas University Tech  

Brooke Avant  

University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville 

Samantha Wilson 

University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton 

April Brown  

University of Arkansas Cossatot 

McKenzie Simpson 

University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana 

Allison Bonner 

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College 

Chacall D Charles 

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain 

Mary Kate Duncan 

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

There is an important deadline approaching for Arkansans planning to vote in the November election.

If you have not already registered to vote, you have until October 11 to file your voter registration application with your county clerk. 

If you submit your application close to an election registration deadline, you are strongly advised to follow up with your county clerk before Election Day. The General Election and Nonpartisan Runoff Election will be held on November 8. 

Early voting will begin on October 24. Early voting is available between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, ending at 5 p.m. on the Monday before the election. 

At the voting site, an election official will ask you to state your name, address, and date of birth. The election official will request you provide an approved form of I.D. 

You can check your voter registration status and find your polling location at www.voterview.org. On the website, you can find a sample ballot for your precinct. 

Due to redistricting changes, we encourage you to review your ballot before heading to the polls. The boundaries of voting districts for state legislators shifted to reflect population changes in the 2020 Census. Districts were also renumbered. You may have the same lawmaker listed on your ballot but your House or Senate district number may be different than in previous years. 

While Presidential elections get a lot of attention, the elections happening in midterm years are equally important. This election will determine our next Governor and constitutional officers. This ballot also includes several city and county elections, candidates for the Arkansas General Assembly, congressional races, and proposed amendments to the Arkansas Constitution.

Howard County team places sixth in National 4-H Food Challenge

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — A team of Arkansas 4-H members celebrated National 4-H Week by competing in the National 4-H Food Challenge finals and returning home with a sixth-place win.

Adelene Westfall, Sarah Lamb, and Christian Trombley— competing as the “Seniors with Spatulas” — competed against 10 other teams from Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming at the competition, held Oct. 4 at the Texas State Fair in Dallas.

YOUNG CHEFS -- A Howard County 4-H team placed 6th in the National 4-H Food Challenge. Photo by Tracy Courage / U of A System Division of Agriculture

The Arkansas youth are members of the Howard County Teen Leader Club and longtime members of Arkansas 4-H. Westfall and Lamb, who attend Nashville High School, were part of the 2021 team that placed fifth at nationals last year. Trombley, a homeschooled student, joined the team this year. To qualify for the national competition, the teens won the Arkansas 4-H Food Challenge in August.

“I’m super proud of them,” said Howard County Extension Agent Jean Ince, who coached the team and accompanied them to the competition. “They have all been cooking for a long time and still they learned so much.”

Although they had hoped to win top honors, the trio felt good about their performance.

“Our dish was good, and we did a good presentation,” Lamb said.

“We knew so much more this year than last year,” Westfall added. “We felt really good going into their competition.”

The Food Challenge not only tests participants’ cooking skills, but also their knowledge about nutrition, health and food safety and their ability to effectively communicate as a team. During the competition, the teams had 40 minutes to prepare a dish using the main ingredient — which wasn’t unveiled until the start of the competition.

After plating their dish, teams had five minutes to present their dish to judges and discuss food preparation, safety concerns, serving size information, cost analysis and nutritional information. Judges considered appearance, quality, creativity, effective communication and teamwork when scoring. 

For the past two months, the team has met weekly to practice their skills using different ingredients from the four groups: protein, grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables.

Mystery ingredients

White beans were the star of the preliminary round. The Arkansas team created a soup using the canned beans, chicken broth, shredded chicken, cheese, chives, cumin and salt and garnished with tomato. Judges liked their soup well enough to advance the team to the final round where they were tasked with cooking with fresh mushrooms. The team created a Mediterranean-inspired dish using couscous, mushroom­­­s, feta and vegetables.

“I felt confident coming out of second round because we had worked with couscous and mushrooms before,” Westfall said. “We had previously made a recipe with eggplant and couscous, and when we saw there was couscous available, we swapped the eggplant for mushrooms.”

Division of labor

The teens spent the past few months practicing both their culinary skills and how to work as a team. Each had a defined role. Lamb — who her teammates call the ‘boss lady’ — took the lead in the recipe development and decided the menu with team input.

“My goal is always to have a bright, colorful, good-looking dish,” she said.

Lamb frequently cooks for her family, competes in BBQ competitions and hopes to own a bakery one day.

Trombley — the team’s ‘wingman’ — functioned as the sous chef, chopping and mincing ingredients, prepping the work space and ensuring food safety.

Westfall, a 4-H Ambassador and member of the state Healthy Living team, is considered the team’s scribe. She meticulously recorded the ingredients, proportions, nutritional content, serving size and notes needed for the team’s presentation to judges.

Skills for a lifetime

Healthy living is one of tenets of the 4-H program, which offers programs in nutrition, fitness, substance abuse, safety and social and emotional wellness.

“We strive to equip young people with healthy living knowledge and skills to physically, emotionally, and socially prepare them to meet today's challenges,” said Amanda Welch, a 4-H youth development associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Welch coordinates the statewide 4-H Food Challenge.

Last year, Arkansas 4-H applied for and received a Healthy Habits grants from the National 4-H Council and Wal-Mart Foundation.

“Most of the grant money went to counties to use for healthy living programs,” Welch said. “Howard County used grant money to purchase cooking utensils and supplies required for the competition.”

The teens all said they enjoyed the experience. For Trombley, it was because of the “friendship and teamwork.” Lamb said she is more comfortable with public speaking because of the competition, and Westfall, who memorized nutritional value of foods for the competition, said that information will continue to help her.

“I’ve learned so much about our bodies and what they need to function that I never would’ve thought about before this challenge,” Westfall said. “It’s taught me a lot that I can use to improve my health and my family’s.”

4-H is the premier youth development program of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. Programs are offered in every county in Arkansas. To learn more about 4-H, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension.

King Art Show Begins Friday, October 7th

Hours are 10 am - 5 pm Friday and Saturday, and 12 - 4 pm on Sunday.

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Michael D. Jones and Linda Croy of Bentonville Establish Howard County Scholarship

UA Cossatot Foundation recently received a $5,000 gift from Michael D. Jones and Linda Croy of Bentonville, AR.

The gift will establish the Michael D. Jones Sophomore Scholarship and award five students from Howard County a $1,000 scholarship each. In addition, students must have completed at least 30 credit hours, be in a degree-specific field of study, and have a financial need.

Jones said, “I grew up in Howard County and my parents, Darwin and Effie Jones, were educators in Mineral Springs, Arkansas. I wanted to contribute to the education of students attending the UA Cossatot to give back to that area.”

The UA Cossatot Foundation welcomes gifts of any amount to support scholarships and help UA Cossatot achieve its educational mission.

Dustin Roberts, UA Cossatot’s Director of Development, said, “We greatly appreciate Michael and Linda’s generous donation to support our Howard County Students. This gift will truly make a difference and help local college students achieve their educational goals.”

For more information or to make a gift to the UA Cossatot Foundation, contact Dustin Roberts at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu.

UA Cossatot Receives Harvest Regional Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education Award

UA Cossatot was selected as Harvest Regional Food Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education at this year’s Hunger Action Luncheon held on September 27, 2022, in Texarkana, TX. Erika Buenrrostro and Alisa Cooke with UA Cossatot attended the luncheon and accepted the award.

Harvest Regional Food Bank recognized UA Cossatot and the work the college’s Center for Student Success’s food pantry has done to help combat hunger on all four campuses.

“Joining during an unprecedented global pandemic and jumping right in to provide food assistance to students in not one but four of our counties is no small task! This is why we will be honoring our partnership with UA Cossatot and our other award recipients,” said Callie Buckley, Harvest Regional Food Bank Impact Coordinator.

“We are super excited to receive the “Harvest Regional Bank’s 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education Award” recognition presented by Harvest Foods. Food insecurity is an issue in every community but also impacts college campuses nationwide. While food and housing costs continue to increase, we wanted to create a safe place on campus where students could receive weekly food voucher cards and bags, allowing them to focus more on academics. The Center for Student Success takes pride in its services and feels honored to be

chosen as the recipient of this award. Opening the Center in 2017 has been one of our most significant accomplishments on campus,” said Erika Buenrrostro, Director of Student Success and Enrichment.

For more information, contact Erika Buenrrostro at 870-584-1133 or ebuenrrosto@cccua.edu.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address Celebrating the Heritage of Hispanic Americans

LITTLE ROCK – Today I would like to talk about Hispanic Heritage Month and what this occassion represents. Hispanic influence can be seen in all aspects of American life and culture.

In the 1980’s Arkansas saw a growth in the Hispanic population, which continued well into the 21st century. According to the 2020 census, Arkansas was one of 15 states where the Hispanic population made up more than half of all population growth in the state. Hispanic roots in Arkansas run deep and have become a vital part of our communities around the state.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a week-long celebration for Hispanic Heritage. He believed that it was important to celebrate the heritage of our American citizens who were of Hispanic descent because it was those who came before them who helped settle our land and built our country into what it is now.

Later in 1988, Hispanic Heritage Week grew into Hispanic Heritage Month after President Ronald Reagan signed it into law.

It is no coincidence that this falls in September as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua celebrate their independence on September 15. But also, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

Hispanic Heritage is American heritage because the American story is about every person who takes responsibility, works hard, and dreams big. When we take the time to honor those who made this American story possible, we can overcome America’s challenges and continue to be a beacon of freedom for the world.

When President Reagan signed into law the month-long celebration, he did so because he believed that the celebration of Hispanic Heritage was an example of how fundamental family is to our country.

He believed that the strength of America’s families translated into the strength of our country. This time of celebration looks into a culture’s strongest qualities, and Hispanic Heritage Month is a time where we can honor a love for family and connect through the stories of those who came before us.

Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 62

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 38

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 23

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 39

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 11

Active Cases Data for Miller County
Total Active Cases: 106

Weekly Update from State Representative

Labor Day is a time to reflect on the social and economic achievements of American workers. The labor force in Arkansas and its forecasted potential is worth celebrating. 

The most recent report from the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services (ADWS) shows unemployment in our state at 3.2 percent. The jobless rate nationwide stands at 3.5 percent. 

According to an ADWS report titled Long-Term Industry and Occupational Projections, Arkansas will add 124,387 new jobs by the year 2030. That’s a 9.05% increase.  

Goods-Producing industries are expected to add 14,340 new jobs, while the Services-Providing industries should see most of the growth, with 114,345 new jobs being added. 

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations is estimated to add 21,219 jobs during the projection period, a 21.11 percent increase, making the major group the top and fastest growing in the state. Restaurant cooks are slated to be the second fastest growing occupation in the major group, increasing employment by 51.77 percent. 

Nurse Practitioners are slated to be the fastest growing occupation statewide, increasing by 54.04 percent. Healthcare Support Occupations is projected to add 11,271 jobs by 2030 and be the second fastest growing major group, increasing the workforce by 20.13 percent. 

Fastest growing occupations by expected percentage changes also include fundraisers, occupational therapy assistants, speech pathologists, and operation research analysts. 

When it comes to the highest paying jobs in the state, Obstetricians and Gynecologists topped the list with an annual salary of $258,940. Anesthesiologists, with an average annual salary of $234,970, ranked second on the Occupations Paying the Most list. Surgeons, physicians, and pediatricians are also in the top 5. 

Whether you are searching for the right job or the right person for the job, the Division of Workforce Services can help. ADWS offers a variety of services, like job search and résumé assistance, career counseling, workforce readiness training, and referrals to employers who are hiring. Learn about the labor market and the occupations that are most in-demand in your area by visiting www.dws.arkansas.gov .