DCS Strategic Plan

DCS Strategic Plan graphic

Agency Mission: Successfully partner with families, caregivers, and the community to strengthen families, ensure safety, and achieve permanency for all Arizona’s children through prevention, services, and support.

Agency Vision: Children thrive in family environments free from abuse and neglect.

The Arizona Department of Child Safety is committed to achieving safety, permanency and well-being for Arizona’s children and families.  DCS is driven by this commitment, as well as a desire to be a national leader for child safety through a well-run, efficient, and effective organization based on best practices and continuous improvement.

The purpose of the strategic plan is to build the systems and structure that will support outcomes for the future while at the same time identifying challenges that have evolved over time that need to be addressed in the immediate term. The five-year strategic goals provide the long-term direction.  With these strategic goals, the agency balances the priorities to ensure sustainability:

Current Strategic Goals

  1. By August 2029, aim to increase the percentage of families who receive services through Family Resource Centers (FRC) by 20% among those with a screened out intake.
  2. Of children entering out of home care, increase the percentage who exit to permanency within 12 months of entry from 34 to 36 by August 2029 (Note permanency includes reunification, exits to adoption, guardianship and live with relatives)
  3. Of children entering care per 1,000 in Arizona's population, safely reduce the disparity ratio of Black and African American to White from 4 to 3.8 by August 2029.
  4. Reduce the DCS employee turnover rate through employee engagement and professional development from 32.2% to 27% by August 2029.
  5. Of the total number of days for children served in out of home care, increase the percentage spent in family like setting from 77.9% to 85% by August 2029.

 

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