DCS Strategic Plan

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. Establish a pilot program for connecting families with a screened out intake to a Family Resource Center (FRC) by June 30, 2025.
  2. Increase parent participation in parenting time sessions by June 30, 2025; Increase participation in Team Decision Making (TDM) meetings by June 30, 2025.
  3. Reduce disparity and disproportionality at key decision points of involvement within the Arizona child protection system by June 30, 2025.
  4. Strengthen and expand learning and mentoring opportunities for DCS employees by June 30, 2025; Expand internal opportunities for career development and professional advancement by June 30, 2025.
  5. Breakthrough Project: Reduce the utilization of congregate care to 10.5% or less, measured in bed days by June 30, 2025; Develop and implement a plan to safely reduce the usage of congregate care when appropriate focused on Statewide Field Operations by June 30, 2025.

 

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