PHX Reporter

Office of the Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued the following announcement on Feb. 16.

Arizona’s state agencies are using a data-driven approach to make government more efficient and better serve residents’ needs. 

That’s the message Governor Doug Ducey is expected to receive today when he meets with agency directors.

The directors will report on ways their agencies have implemented the Arizona Management System (AMS), which the Governor established in 2015. Over the past seven years, AMS has eliminated government waste, reduced costs and enhanced customer service by empowering employees to identify strategic goals and solutions.

Below are a few examples of how efforts to improve government efficiency have benefited the people of Arizona.

Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services

Building upon Arizona’s commitment to veterans, the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services (ADVS) worked to identify, and ultimately solve for, root causes of veteran suicides. In 2017, Arizona stakeholders, including the Governor’s Office, ADVS, the Arizona Coalition for Military Families (ACMF) and more, came together with a different approach to veteran suicide prevention. 

Arizona’s Be Connected program is nationally recognized for its leadership in preventing veteran suicide. The program, operated by ACMF, focuses on early intervention by connecting Arizona service members, veterans, families and helpers to information, support and resources.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognized ADVS and the Be Connected program with the 2021 Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award. Arizona is one of seven states to receive the award this year.

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Drought response and preparedness play a vital role in assisting Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) in achieving its mission. Drought has significant economic and societal impact in the state, but ADWR has previously had limited involvement in federal strategic planning related to drought.

ADWR expanded its network of experts to partner with academia, the private sector and industry groups to lead statewide drought planning efforts. The collaborative process created a more inclusive stakeholder process and led to new opportunities to participate in regional efforts, including the Intermountain West Drought Early Warning System. Arizona joined Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming in developing a strategic plan for the next four years to conserve water in the region. ADWR represented Arizona’s perspective in energy, agriculture, tourism, farming and Colorado River management. 

The success of these partnerships will open more opportunities for collaboration and secure Arizona’s water future.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) provides Arizonans with timely and convenient access to reliable information on environmental issues in their communities.

To better serve and inform the public, ADEQ developed a dashboard for environmental and demographic map data on its website. “My Community” is an easy-to-use, online tool the public can use to understand the actions ADEQ is taking to address environmental issues in their community. 

The dashboard offers a straightforward interface to easily view in-depth environmental and demographic data by county. Community members can find information on air and water quality, sites of concern and more through the map.

Original source can be found here.