The Office of Community Engagement (OCE) is composed of specific areas serving as a bridge between human services providers, non-profit organizations, private entities, and communities throughout the state. The mission of OCE is to listen to and educate the community regarding DES services and advocate for our clients. To achieve this mission, OCE was strategically developed to include Community Engagement, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Office of Tribal Relations.
The Community Engagement Team connects with human services providers throughout the State with the goal of building relationships, sharing information, and improving access to DES Programs and Services.
The Office of the Ombudsman offers assistance to clients who are experiencing issues with DES programs and services and have been unable to locate or work through the designated processes to address their concerns. Every concern is used as the voice of the customer while helping DES identify and address potential barriers in the process.
The Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) serves as the point of contact to address and assist with the needs of Arizona’s 22 Federally-Recognized American Indian Tribes. OTR provides guidance and support to DES on human services policy issues with a specific focus on Tribal Government consultation and cultural awareness.
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Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other nondiscrimination laws and authorities, ADES does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Persons that require a reasonable modification based on language or disability should submit a request as early as possible to ensure the State has an opportunity to address the modification. The process for requesting a reasonable modification can be found at Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Modification