State Agencies

The Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) has taken steps to improve its processes in response to our 2023 sunset review and can further improve in some key areas including continuing...

School letter grade system developed by the Arizona Department of Education and approved by the Arizona State Board of Education obscures key performance differences between schools and does not include statutorily required information about the indicators that make up overall school letter grades, limiting its usefulness in providing public information about schools’ achievement

As required by law, we conducted a review of per diem compensation and expense reimbursement payments to members of State boards, commissions, councils, and advisory committees (collectively referred to as...

Authority distributed revenues consistent with statutory requirements and its revenues have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not consistently oversee facility manager or comply with all State conflict-of-interest laws...

Department failed to appropriately classify and subsequently investigate and resolve some reported incidents involving DDD members and did not timely and consistently address some quality-of-care concern investigation violations it identified and those violations could put DDD members’ health and safety at risk

Department did not conduct on-site monitoring reviews every 3 years for 5 of 8 Area Agencies on Aging consistent with its State Plan to determine contract compliance, thereby not helping to ensure client well-being and appropriate use of public monies

Department calculated child support payments we reviewed in accordance with statute and had processes to help ensure timely and consistent Adult Protective Services investigations, but had a $122 million fiscal year 2025 budget shortfall in the Division of Developmental Disabilities and did not comply with some State conflict-of-interest requirements

Board did not sufficiently enforce compliance with State Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program requirements, limiting the program’s effectiveness and exposing the public to increased risk of prescription drug misuse; and did not resolve complaints in a timely manner, which may negatively affect patient safety

Board timely issued initial licenses in calendar year 2024, but allowed licensees to practice after their licenses had expired, could not demonstrate that it verified some applicants it approved for initial and renewal licenses possessed a valid fingerprint clearance card or a fingerprint based criminal history records check, and did not resolve some complaints in a timely manner, putting public safety at risk

Board timely issued initial and renewal licenses we reviewed to qualified applicants in fiscal year 2024, but did not resolve some complaints in a timely manner, putting public safety at risk; did not fully comply with some State conflict-of-interest requirements, increasing the risk that employees and Board members had not disclosed substantial interests; and did not review continuing education for license and certificate renewal applicants

Board timely issued licenses/certificates in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, but continues to take more than 180 days to resolve complaints and its backlog of open complaints has grown, which may affect patient safety

Department did not always inform individuals under noncriminal investigation of their rights and/or specific allegations against them in writing or timely complete and/or properly document some key investigative activities, which could negatively impact children and families

Board timely issued initial and renewal licenses, but did not timely resolve complaints, increasing the risk to public safety, and failed to establish oversight and accountability mechanisms for its staff, potentially resulting in inefficient and ineffective operations, noncompliance with Board statutes and policies, and waste of public resources

Board timely issued initial and renewal licenses and resolved complaints, but did not take consistent enforcement action against licensees for violations, or verify that some license applicants met all requirements, potentially affecting public safety

Department distributed $158 million in tribal contributions in fiscal year 2024, consistent with statute, but did not consistently obtain and review third-party documentation to ensure event wagering and fantasy sports contest operators’ fee payments were accurate, risking lost State revenues, and Department, Racing Commission, and Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Commission did not comply with some State conflict-of-interest requirements and recommended practices

Department released all 31 inmates we reviewed within earned release time frames but did not timely release 2 inmates to the transition program; enrolled more inmates in major programs from the prior year, but program completions decreased; and did not enter some program completions into its inmate management system, increasing the risk of untimely inmate releases

Department did not ensure some schools that received Program monies complied with Program requirements intended to enhance school safety personnel effectiveness and improve school safety, and 2025 legislation expanded allowable uses of Program monies

Department did not develop long-range plans for State trust land, risking difficulties demonstrating land sales benefit trust beneficiaries, or inspect land used for mineral mining/exploration to protect public safety, and...