Volume 2, Number 1
July, 2002
Working Healthy Program Launched July 1st!!
The Working Healthy program officially began on July 1st. To date, approximately 160 people are enrolled in the program. More individuals are expected to enroll over the next several months as they have the opportunity to meet with Benefits Specialists to discuss their personal situations. The University of Kansas staff will be sending satisfaction surveys to the initial enrollees in January to determine their overall satisfaction with the program and learn about their work experiences and quality of life.
New Benefits Specialist and Team Leader Hired
In May, the Working Healthy program added a new Benefits Specialist Team Leader and five Benefits Specialists to its staff. All of the new staff members attended a five-day training program in Missouri on Social Security's disability, return to work and work incentive provisions, as well as other federal work incentives.
Craig Perbeck is the new Benefits Specialist Team Leader. Craig graduated from Emporia State University with a degree in sociology and has worked in the Behavioral Health Department of Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, at the Wichita SRS office as an income maintenance worker and, later, as a supervisor. Craig can be contacted at 785-368-6245 or CEP@srskansas.org.
Come One, Come All....
Upcoming Working Healthy Information Sessions
Tuesday July 30th - LAWRENCE, 1:00-3:00 at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.
Wednesday July 31st - KANSAS CITY, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm at the West Wyandotte Public Library, 1737 N. 82nd
Thursday August 1st - OLATHE, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm at the Indian Creek Library, 12990 Blackbob
Tuesday August 13th - MANHATTAN, 10:30 am- 12:30 pm at the Manhattan Public Library, 629 Poyntz Ave.
Wednesday August 14th - TOPEKA, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm at the Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th
If you have questions about this schedule or any of the outreach activities provided by Breakthrough Club, please email Paul Jasinski at pauljas@hotmail.com or phone him at 316-269-2711.
Kansas Job Market Improves As Working Healthy Kicks Off*
From the Kansas Department of Human Resources
June 25, 2002
The Kansas unemployment rate for May was 4.1%, down from 4.3% in April, announced Richard E. Beyer, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Human Resources (KDHR). The rate in May 2001 was 4.0"% the seasonally adjusted national rate was 5.8% in May. Employment in Kansas rose by 5,500 over the month, standing at 1,382,500. This was the highest number employed since June 2000. The number of jobless Kansas residents dropped by nearly 3,400 as all industries hired additional workers with the exception of manufacturing.
Kansas Occupational Projections
Over the next several years, the greatest job growth (the highest number of job openings) in the state is expected to occur in services and retail trade (see Table 1). As the population in Kansas ages, health care-related occupations are also on the rise. In fact, half of the top ten fastest growing occupations in Kansas are in health care services (see Table 2). The top ten declining occupations are dominated by farm/agricultural-related jobs (see Table 3).
Occupational Outlook Based on Educational Levels/Training
Obviously, different jobs require different levels of education and/or training. In Kansas, labor market growth will occur both for jobs that do require a bachelor's degree or more and those that do not. These occupations and their projected growth rates are shown below (see Tables 4,5 and 6)
*This and other Kansas Labor Market Information can be obtained at:
Labor Market Information Services
401 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66603
Email: laborstats@hr.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-5058
TABLE 1 Information:
This bar graph shows the Top Ten High Demand Occupations in Kansas for the years of 1996-2006.
The first occupation listed is "Salesperson, Retail" with 2,010 annual job openings.
The second occupation listed is "Cashiers" with 1,980 annual job openings.
The third occupation listed is "General Managers and Top Execs." with 1,370 annual job openings.
The fourth occupation listed is "Comb. Food Prep./Serv. Workers" with 1,110 annual job openings.
The fifth occupation listed is "Waiters & Waitresses" with 1,090 annual job openings.
The sixth occupation listed is "General Office Clerks" with 1,070 annual job openings.
The seventh occupation listed is "Food Preparation Workers" with 960 annual job openings.
The eighth occupation listed is "Hairdressers and Hairstylists" with 880 annual job openings.
The ninth occupation listed is "Registered Nurses" with 820 annual job openings.
The tenth occupation listed is "Nursing Aides and Orderlies" with 710 annual job openings.
(Note: Occupations which have 500 or more annual job openings are considered to be in demand.)
TABLE 2 Information:
This bar graph shows the Top Ten Fast Growing Occupations in Kansas for the years 1996-2006.
Values are given in percent growth.
The first occupation listed is "Computer Scientists, NEC" with 149% growth.
The second occupation listed is "Computer Support Specialists" with 83.1% growth.
The third occupation listed is "Systems Analysts" with 77.5% growth.
The fourth occupation listed is "Respiratory Therapists" with 71.2% growth.
The fifth occupation listed is "Paralegals" with 69.6% growth.
The sixth occupation listed is "Medical Records Technician" with 57.6% growth.
The seventh occupation listed is "Home Health Aides" with 57.6% growth.
The eighth occupation listed is "Emergency Medical Technicians" with 56.2% growth.
The ninth occupation listed is "Customer Services Reps." with 52.4% growth.
The tenth occupation listed is "Medical Assistants" with 52.3% growth.
(Note: Fast growing occupations are those with projected employment of 1,000 or more in 2006 and a growth rate of at least 27.6%, twice the average for all occupations.)
TABLE 3 Information:
This bar graph shows the Top Ten Declining Occupations in Kansas for the year of 1996-2006.
The first occupation listed is "Farm Workers, Except Agri. Services" with a loss of 3,070 jobs.
The second occupation listed is "Farm Equipment Operators" with a loss of 3,000 jobs.
The third occupation listed is "Agri., Forest, Fishing Workers, NEC" with a loss of 2,730 jobs.
The fourth occupation listed is "Farm Managers" with a loss of 1,350 jobs.
The fifth occupation listed is "Bookkeeping, Accounting, Audit Clerks" with a loss of 790 jobs.
The sixth occupation listed is "Computer Operators, Except Periphrl Equip." with a loss of 760 jobs.
The seventh occupation listed is "Secretaries, except Legal or Medical" with a loss of 560 jobs.
The eighth occupation listed is "Typists, Inc. Word Processing" with a loss of 450 jobs.
The ninth occupation listed is "Welfare Eligibility Workers" with a loss of 440 jobs.
The tenth occupation listed is "Stock Clerks, Sales Floor" with a loss of 260 jobs.
(Note: While an occupation may be declining, job openings may continue to occur as workers retire or leave a profession to pursue other careers.)
TABLE 4 Information:
This bar graph shows the top ten jobs in Kansas that require a bachelor's degree or more. Values are given in percent growth from 1993-2005.
The first occupation listed is "Systems Analysts" with a growth of 86.7%.
The second occupation listed is "Computer Engineers" with a growth of 84.5%.
The third occupation listed is "Physical Therapists" with a growth of 67.3%.
The fourth occupation listed is "Securities & Financial Services" with a growth of 46.3%.
The fifth occupation listed is "Engineering, Math, Nat. Sci. Mgrs." with a growth of 40.8%.
The sixth occupation listed is "Social Workers, Med. & Psych." with a growth of 36.1%.
The seventh occupation listed is "Teachers, Preschool, Ed. Serv." with a growth of 36.0%
The eighth occupation listed is "Marketing, Adver. & Public Rel. Mgrs." with a growth of 35.9%.
The ninth occupation listed is "Electrical & Electronic Engineers" with a growth of 35.1%.
The tenth occupation listed is "Teachers, Special Educ." with a growth of 33.3%.
(Note: While it may be possible to work in some of these occupations without a bachelor's degree,
persons with higher education levels can expect more opportunities for advancement.)
TABLE 5 Information:
This bar graph shows the top ten jobs in Kansas that require less than a bachelor's degree. Values
are given in percent growth from 1993-2005.
The first occupation listed is "Computer Support Specialist" with a 98.8% growth.
The second occupation listed is "Medical Records Technians" with a 75.4% growth.
The third occupation listed is "Respiratory Therapists" with a 66.7% growth.
The fourth occupation listed is "Physical & Corrct. Therapy Assts." with a 62.2% growth.
The fifth occupation listed is "Paralegals" with a 62.0% growth.
The sixth occupation listed is "Radiologic Technologists" with a 55.0% growth.
The seventh occupation listed is "Medical Assistants" with a 51.2%n growth.
The eighth occupation listed is "Dental Hygienists" with a 49.5% growth.
The ninth occupation listed is "Dental Assistants" with a 47.4% growth.
The tenth occupation listed is "Data Processing Equipment Repairs" with a 40.5% growth.
(Note: Entry into some of these occupations may be possible through extensive on-the-job employer training.)
TABLE 6 Information:
This bar graph shows the top ten jobs in Kansas that require technical training. Values are given in percent growth from 1993-2005.
The first occupation listed is "Dental Assistants" with a 47.4% growth.
The second occupation listed is "Heat, A/C, Refrig. Mechanics" with a 38.6% growth.
The third occupation listed is "Receptionists & Inform. Clerks" with a 33.9% growth,
The fourth occupation listed is "Licensed Practical Nurses" with a 28.6% growth.
The fifth occupation listed is "Bus, Truck, Diesel Mechanics" with a 27.7% growth.
The sixth occupation listed is "Auto Body Repairs" with a 20.0% growth.
The seventh occupation listed is "Auto Mechanics" with a 17.8% growth.
The eighth occupation listed is "Truck Drivers, Heavy" with a 17.3% growth.
The ninth occupation listed is "Small Engine Specialists" with a 9.7% growth.
The tenth occupation listed is "Welders & Cutters" with a 8.7% growth.
(Note: Technical training in a variety of programs is available from 16 area vocational technical schools located throughout Kansas.)
Working Healthy is published quarterly by the KU Department of Health Policy and Management, in cooperation with the KU Division of Adult Studies and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
Additional copies and copies in alternate formats are available upon request by writing the University of Kansas Department of Health Policy and Management, c/o Division of Adult Studies, Attn: Noelle, 1122 West Campus Rd.. JRP Hall Rm. 517, Lawrence, KS 66045, by phone 785-864-7085, by email: pixie@ukans.edu
KU Research Team
Michael Fox, Principal Investigator
Jean Hall, Project Director
Noelle Kurth, Editor
Erin Rink, Research Assistant
SRS, Division of Health Care Policy
Mary Ellen O_Brien Wright, Program Director
Sharon Johnson, Deputy Director
Craig Perbeck, Benefits Specialist Team Leader
Many people with disabilities want to work but worry that doing so could jeopardize their vital health and long term care coverage. Working Healthy offers people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to get or keep Medicaid coverage while on the job. Through Working Healthy people can earn more, save more, achieve their career goals, and still maintain their health coverage.