DES 1998 Pioneer Recipient

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES)

AGENCY AT A GLANCE

DES was established in July 1972 by the Arizona Legislature to provide an integration of direct services to people, and to reduce duplication of administrative efforts, services and expenditures. Today, DES is organized into six program divisions and two support divisions:

Division of Aging and Community Services

Division of Benefits and Medical Eligibility

Division of Children, Youth and Families

Division of Child Support Enforcement

Division of Developmental Disabilities

Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services

Division of Business and Technology Services

Division of Employee Services and Support

Each month, more than one million people seek DES services. The DES annual budget of $2.6 billion combines federal and state monies for more than 60 human service programs. DES has approximately 9,600 employees working in more than 250 offices statewide. The DES quality initiative, Excellent Service through People, or ESP, began in 1992. To maintain our competitive edge, the ESP initiative seeks to instill the principles of total quality in all areas and at all levels of the organization.

Strategic Initiatives

To be competitive and meet the needs of our customers in the new millennium, we must maintain our commitment to total quality. We are striving to find new and innovative methods of doing business, eliminating duplication, and breaking down the service delivery silos. We are exploring ways in which we can provide a seamless set of services, a "no wrong door" philosophy, in which our customers will have quick and convenient access to the services they need wherever they are.

Quality Management

The ESP initiative is led by the Executive Team comprised of DES senior management. The Executive Team, which meets weekly, sets the example for leadership and continuous improvement in the department. The middle managers at DES meet in monthly forums know as PACE (Partners in Action, Change and Excellence). DES is divided into six geographic areas of the state called districts. The management teams in the districts meet regularly as District Quality Councils. The ESP initiative actively involves DES employees in all aspects of their work through Quality Champions, Process Improvement Teams and Task Teams.

Mission, Vision, Guiding Principles, Goals and Priority Areas

Mission: The Arizona Department of Economic Security is a human service agency dedicated to working with the people we serve to achieve their self-sufficiency.

Vision: Quality Service. Organizational Pride. Client Self-Sufficiency.

Guiding Principles: We lead by example. Employees are paramount. Client satisfaction is vital to our success. We value stakeholder partnerships. Continuous improvement is the cornerstone of our quality initiative. We manage by facts.

Goals: To increase client self-sufficiency. To improve DES performance. To increase stakeholder partnerships. To increase community employment opportunities. To increase employee satisfaction. To encourage innovation aligned with our mission.

Priority Areas: Children. Employment. Family Self-Sufficiency. DES Efficiency/Accountability.