What We Do
The Arizona Ombudsman office offers a range of services aimed at promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability in various sectors.
do you have a state agency issue we can help with?
Our primary focus includes resolving citizen complaints against government agencies, ensuring adherence to ethical standards, and upholding the principles of good governance. In addition, we provide specialized training and guidance in our key areas of expertise to public staff and administrators.
Administrative Acts of Most State Agencies
We work with impacted individuals to ensure that the agency is fairly complying with the law. You can make a complaint here, or read more about how the Ombudsman can help you with a complaint.
Dept. of Child Safety (DCS)
Arizona requires that DCS provide specific documents (notices) when they take temporary custody of a child (Temporary Custody Notice), or when an individual is the subject of a DCS Investigation (Notice of Duty to Inform). These notices inform the recipients of their rights, and provide details and contact information for the Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens’ Aide Office.
If you become involved with DCS, we highly recommend you immediately educate yourself on the process in which you are now involved.
Open Meetings Law (Public Access)
It is the public policy of this state that meetings of public bodies be conducted openly and that notices and agendas be provided for such meetings which contain such information as is reasonably necessary to inform the public of the matters to be discussed or decided. Accordingly, Arizona’s Open Meeting Law must be construed in favor of open and public meetings.
Staff training is available from the Arizona Ombudsman office.
Public Records Law (Public Access)
Arizona law requires all officers and public bodies to maintain records reasonably necessary to provide an accurate accounting of their official activities and of any government funded activities.
- Arizona’s Public Records Law
- How to Request Public Records
- TRAINING on Public Records
- FAQ – Public Records
- Public Records Law publications, resources and news
Training on Public Access Topics
Public access trainings are available upon request.
- We train agencies and their staff on public access practices.
- The Ombudsman office provides scheduled training courses on Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law.
Empowerment Scholarship Accounts
With the 2022 expansion of the ESA program, the Legislature expanded our mission to request our office assist parents and guardians who are experiencing issues involving the ESA program administration and are not satisfied with the responses they receive from the Arizona Department of Education.
- Our office may help with concerns about ESA applications, denial of benefits, unreasonable delays, lack of appropriate communication, and more.
- Our role is to assist parents and guardians who are experiencing issues involving the ESA program administration and are not satisfied with the responses they receive from the Arizona Department of Education
