Arizona Department of Economic Security

What Arizona Department of Economic Security does

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is Arizona's primary state human services agency, established in 1972 by consolidating multiple state agencies into a unified service delivery organization. Headquartered at 1717 W. Jefferson Street in Phoenix, DES operates as a cabinet-level department under the Governor's office, currently led by Director Michael Wisehart (returning to the role after prior service as DES Director and CFO). The department administers over 60 programs serving more than 2.9 million Arizonans annually with a $7.1 billion budget and a workforce exceeding 8,000 employees distributed across offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, Douglas, and Page, plus mobile services on tribal lands.

Core program offerings span the full human services continuum: Adult Protective Services (vulnerable adult abuse/neglect investigation), Nutrition Assistance/SNAP (federal food benefits), Medical Assistance via AHCCCS (Arizona's Medicaid program), Cash Assistance (TANF), Child Care Assistance and Child Support Services, Developmental Disabilities Services (DDD), Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) for ages 0-3, Unemployment Insurance Benefits, Vocational Rehabilitation, and housing/utility assistance (LIHEAP, ARAP). Recent additions include Power AZ utility assistance (expanding LIHEAP eligibility to ~30,000 additional households), SUN Bucks Summer EBT for school-age children, and the $3 million Bright Futures Arizona child care relief grant.

The underlying technology stack combines proprietary state systems (Health-e-Arizona Plus eligibility portal, MyFamilyBenefits, Arizona Centralized Background Checks) with third-party SaaS (Salesforce for community engagement/tribal assistance case management, WellSky for APS intake, ID.me for UI identity verification, EBT Edge for benefits delivery, Google Translate for multilingual access in English, Arabic, French, Persian, Spanish, Swahili, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese). The business model is government appropriation and federal program funding — DES receives annual state appropriations and federal allocations (USDA, HHS, DOL) and disburses benefits directly to eligible residents; no commercial pricing or revenue exists. Service delivery is multi-channel: in-person offices, online self-serve portals, phone-based assistance, mobile units on tribal lands, and Community Action Agency partnerships.

Name

Arizona Department of Economic Security

Legal name

Arizona Department of Economic Security

Website

https://des.az.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is Arizona's state human services agency, administering 60+ programs including SNAP, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, child care, and adult protective services for 2.9 million+ residents. Operating with a $7.1 billion budget and 8,000+ employees across statewide offices, DES delivers benefits via integrated online portals, in-person offices, and tribal land mobile services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (923120), Administration of General Economic Programs (92611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family) (BPAIABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH), Family & Child Benefits Administration (Child Allowance, Parental Leave) (BPAIAKAD), Government Program Administrative Services (Medicare/Medicaid ASO/TPA) (HLAEALAO)

Keywords

• Public assistance programs
• Human services delivery
• Social welfare services
• Unemployment insurance administration
• Disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation and Program Funding: DES operates as a state government agency funded through annual state appropriations and federal program allocations. The department spends approximately $7.1 billion annually to serve more than 2.9 million Arizonans through over 60 programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is a state government agency administering more than 60 human services programs to Arizona residents. Core offerings include food and nutrition assistance (SNAP), cash assistance, medical assistance coordination, child care subsidy, child support services, developmental and vocational disability services, unemployment insurance, workforce/job-seeker services, and protective services for children, adults, and the elderly. The agency was founded in 1972, is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, employs more than 8,000 people, and operates on an annual budget of approximately $7.1 billion serving more than 2.9 million Arizonans.

Product overview

Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is Arizona's primary human services agency providing over 60 programs through a unified service delivery platform. The core offerings include Adult Protective Services (APS) for vulnerable adult protection, Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) for food security, Medical Assistance through AHCCCS, Child Care and Child Support Services for families, Developmental Disabilities services, Early Intervention programs (AzEIP), Unemployment Insurance Benefits, Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Shelter/Housing Assistance. DES operates an integrated service delivery system featuring online portals (Health-e-Arizona Plus, MyFamilyBenefits), mobile-accessible platforms, and in-person office locations across the state. Programs are interconnected through shared eligibility systems, EBT benefit delivery, and case management, allowing families to access multiple services through a single gateway. Recent initiatives include Power AZ utility assistance expansion and SUN Bucks summer food benefits for children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Power AZ: Utility assistance program expanding eligibility for aid through the federal LIHEAP program, potentially making about 30,000 additional households eligible.
• Bright Futures Arizona

Named customers1 record

Segments9 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bright Futures ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026DES partnered with Bright Futures Arizona initiative to administer a $3 million grant program helping child care providers reduce costs for families during summer break. The program targets parents paying high child care costs with approximately 11,000 Arizonans currently on waitlists for child care assistance.
• Read On ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRead On Arizona and statewide partners released the Arizona Early Childhood Fiscal Map, a comprehensive tool tracking federal and state funding streams for early care, education, and literacy programs from 2019 through 2025. The tool helps policymakers identify service gaps and target investments strategically.
• ARIZONA@WORKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide workforce development network providing employment resources, job fairs, and career services in partnership with DES Employment Services division.
• Arizona's 22 Sovereign Tribal NationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDES maintains formal government-to-government relationships with all 22 tribal nations in Arizona through the Office of Tribal Relations, ensuring consultation before policy changes and culturally appropriate service delivery.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS): Illinois's consolidated human services agency administering SNAP, cash assistance, child care, developmental disabilities, rehabilitation services, and refugee programs — same integrated model as DES.
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC): Texas's umbrella health and human services agency administering SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child care, and services for people with disabilities. Closest large-state analogue to DES's integrated human services delivery model.
• Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS): Pennsylvania's human services agency administering SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child care, child support, and disability services. Operates under similar consolidated-divisions structure as DES.
• New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA): New York's state agency administering SNAP, TANF, home energy assistance, and disability programs. Direct peer to DES in economic security and disability services mandate.
• Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): Washington's consolidated health and human services agency administering SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, developmental disabilities, aging services, and child support. Strong direct peer given similar tribal considerations and integrated structure.
• California Department of Social Services (CDSS): California's primary state human services agency administering SNAP (CalFresh), cash assistance (CalWORKs), child care, child support, and adult protective services. Direct functional peer to Arizona DES in scope and program mix, just operating at larger scale.
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS): North Carolina's combined health and human services agency managing SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child welfare, vocational rehabilitation, and services for the blind/deaf. Closely aligned in program scope to DES.
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS): Ohio's integrated state agency administering unemployment insurance, SNAP, Medicaid eligibility, child care, and child support. Comparable integrated model combining workforce and human services like DES.
• Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF): Florida's lead state agency administering SNAP, TANF, child welfare, child care, economic self-sufficiency, and refugee services. Functionally mirrors DES's Division of Benefits and DCSS scope.
• Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS): Colorado's state human services agency administering SNAP, TANF, child welfare, child care, and disability services. Comparable Western-state peer with overlapping program scope and population size.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@azdesgov
• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialArizonaDES
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arizona-department-of-economic-security
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialazdes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arizona Department of Economic Security