Department History

1965

• The Department of Human Services that exists today began as the Community Services Department.
• The department originally had three operating divisions: Head Start, Manpower Employment Training Programs, and Aging Services.
• Head Start began as a summer program, educating children ages 3 to 5. Manpower managed adult and summer youth programs, as well as migrant farm worker programs.

1969

• The County created a community services commission designated as the Community Action Agency to serve all of Maricopa County outside the city of Phoenix.
• The Community Services Division, under the Community Services Department administered the new Community Action Program (CAP) to 14 local communities.

1976

• The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) replaced the Manpower Division with META (Maricopa Employment and Training Administration.)

1979

• The department name was changed to Human Resources.
• It operates four divisions: Head Start, Community Services, META, and Special Transportation Services. (In a reorganization, the state assumed management over Aging Services.)

1983

• The new Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), replaced META with the Employment and Training Division.

1991

• Renamed Social Services, the department still operated four divisions: Head Start, Community Services Division, Special Transportation Services, and Employment and Training.

1994

• The department received yet another name change and became the Department of Human Services.
• Restructuring left the department operating three divisions encompassing various programs: Education (Head Start); Community Services (CAP and Special Transportation Services); and Employment and Training (JTPA services.)

1995

• The city of Mesa broke off from the Community Services Division and was designated as its own Community Action Agency.

1996

• The Early Head Start program was created to serve children from birth to age 5, and their families.
• The Employment and Training Division received funding to implement the One-Stop Career Center system.

1999

• The Employment and Training Division became the Workforce Development Division.

2000

• Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) was replaced by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
• The Special Transportation Services Division became a partner with the One-Stop Centers and moved into the Workforce Development Division.

2009

• The Special Transportation Services program stopped providing regional transportation services.
• The Community Development Division Department was merged into the Human Services Department.
• Community Development administers the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership programs for the Urban County.
• The department consists of four divisions: Education, Community Development, Community Services, and Workforce Development.

2011

• The Community Justice Support Services Division is created with the purpose of providing prevention and intervention services to youth and adults who are at-risk within the Criminal Justice system.
• The Maricopa County Leadership Experience program is added to the Workforce Development Division. This summer program for youth is a no cost self-directed, self-paced program with activities, workshops and volunteer opportunities at more than 16 County departments.