Success Stories
A better ombudsman resource for Arizona workers
The Industrial Commission of Arizona administers and enforces state laws relating to the protection of life, health, safety and welfare of Arizona workers. This includes laws relating to workers' compensation, occupational safety and health, payment of wages and child labor.
When workers need to utilize the resources available to them, the systems can be difficult to navigate. That’s why the Ombudsman’s Office at the Industrial Commission of Arizona was established, to...
An improvement effort launched in November 2022, starting with developing protocols and standard work. Within four months, a team made up of two ombudsman and one support...
A safe space for students to learn in Roll, Arizona
Built in 1930, Mohawk Valley Elementary School in Yuma County needed major renovation. The school in Roll, Arizona, about 50 miles east of Yuma, is registered as a national and state historic building, which makes renovation projects more complex. Before the renovation, students couldn’t safely drink from the water fountains or wash their hands with the building’s water.
The School Facilities Division worked closely with the Mohawk Valley School District to complete a full renovation of the campus. The Division awarded more than $10.5...
Ensuring computer access for senior veterans
The roaming computers at Arizona State Veteran Home-Phoenix were out of warranty and in need of repair. ASVH-Phoenix is a 200-bed skilled nursing care facility for eligible Arizona veterans. The roaming computers are shared among residents who may not have their own devices for connectivity, enrichment and entertainment.
Residents at ASVH-Phoenix were experiencing delayed service because the computers were down. Initial quotes were for $25,000 for replacement.
The IT team researched prices for computers and found four all-in-one PCs with Windows 10 that were compatible with the existing rolling carts for $18,000 less than the...
Enhanced markers for our heroes' gravesites
In-ground burial sites at the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Camp Navajo in Bellemont—just West of Flagstaff—were difficult to locate during the winter due to snow and ice. Because of this issue, visitors had an increased risk of injury and frustration looking around the cemetery for their loved ones' gravesites. If visitors were unfamiliar with the cemetery and staff were not present, there was an increased risk of customers not finding the gravesite they were...
The team conducted four-box problem solving and decided to build additional markings that could endure snow and ice. The team used wood scraps and made and installed the...
Block Grant application time reduced by more than 50%
The Arizona Department of Housing receives 40-50 Community Development Block Grant applications each year from small cities and counties (serving populations under 50,000). These rural Arizona governments are applying for approximately $10 million in federal grants for a wide range of infrastructure, community and housing needs. The time required for the review of CDBG applications was 90 days, and too much time was spent requesting missing information from applicants or...
The Community Development and Revitalization team used problem-solving techniques to remove ambiguities and eliminate redundancies in the Community Development Block...