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Human Services Celebrates 60 Years!
Happy 60th anniversary to the Maricopa County Human Services Department! Started in 1965, the original name was the Community Services Department and had three operating divisions: Head Start, Man Power Employment Training Programs, and Aging Services. Now HSD consists of the Homeless Services Unit, Administrative Services, Community Services, Early Education, Housing and Community Development, Senior and Adult Services, and Workforce Development. Our Human Services employees assist residents on their worst days and are there to celebrate their big wins! They offer resources to Maricopa County residents through every stage of their lives.
Head Start Also Celebrates 60 Years!
Meet one of our Head Start teachers who was also a student in one of the first Head Start classrooms back in 1965!
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New Human Services Director
The leadership team is pleased to announce Tamara Bridwell as the new Director of the Maricopa County Department of Human Services.
Tamara is a dedicated public servant with more than 15 years of experience in both local and federal government. Tamara brings a strong background in leading community-focused programs that drive meaningful outcomes for individuals and families. She began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she successfully launched the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program. In this role, Tamara managed over $60 million in federal grants aimed at preventing and ending veteran homelessness.
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Our AI Virtual Assistant, MarCo is Coming Soon...
 Our new AI virtual assistant we call MarCo is coming to the county intranet site soon! MarCo can save you time by finding information for you through a quick chat. MarCo won't be perfect so we ask for your patience during the rollout. You will have the option to give a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to MarCo's answers, and your feedback is what will help him learn! Get a sneak peek at this exciting technology in the video above.
County Departments Show Up Big Time at Arizona StandDown
 Last month, many of our County departments showed up at the Arizona StandDown to offer services to veterans in need. Here are some stats about some of the lifechanging legal assistance that we offered:
- 1500 veterans attended the StandDown.
- Over 700 received some form of legal help.
- The MCJC “courtroom” heard 30 cases.
- We resolved out $27,622 in fines and fees.
- We quashed more than a dozen warrants.
Thanks to all judges, staff, and County departments who offered resources at the event. Watch the video above to hear more about the assistance offered by other County departments and meet some of the Veterans who fought for our freedoms.
Congratulations to Our Winter 2025 Leadership Cohorts!
 We’re thrilled to celebrate the success of our Winter 2025 Transformational Leadership & Transformational Coaching cohorts! This season, 78 leaders from 26 departments completed one or both of these powerful journeys, gaining tools to lead with purpose, clarity, and impact.
 Over the past three years, these programs have empowered more than 300 leaders to take the next step in their careers with the confidence, insight, and coaching skills to drive meaningful change within their teams and across the organization. You can learn more by checking out the Training for Leaders section of the L&D web page.
Thank you to all who participated and supported these transformational experiences! The Spring cohorts for both programs launch May 1, and information about the Fall cohorts will be shared later this summer.
Get to Know the Office of the Medical Examiner
The Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) is on the front lines when it comes to gathering critical information used to identify public safety and public health trends. OME investigates 8,000 deaths per year. They provide critical data to law enforcement, safety agencies, healthcare systems, and policy makers. Without them, there would be far more deaths from substance addiction, environmental heat exposure, traffic accidents, suicide, drownings, and homicide. Just as we’re all preparing for the summer heat, OME is currently preparing for the heat season where they will see a sixty percent surge in monthly admissions. This team performs emotionally taxing work in often very challenging conditions and environments like un-air-conditioned homes that may reach temperatures into the 130s. Thanks to the Office of the Medical Examiner for their hard work on behalf of the people of Maricopa County!
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A Message from Supervisor Lesko: |
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District 4 Supervisor Debbie Lesko has a special message for County employees after observing all their hard work since she took office in January. |
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Bike to Work
 The City of Phoenix is inviting Maricopa County employees to join them during their Phoenix Bike to Work Day event on May 15, 2025 from 7:00-9:30 am. The event includes a 3-mile bike ride celebrating active commuting. The ride will start at Steele Indian School Park and conclude at the Arizona Center.
Please note this is not a County-sponsored event and does not qualify for a Wellness Incentive credit.
Donation Drive
Public Fiduciary is holding a donation drive May 1st to May 31st to collect items for our clients experiencing homelessness. We are collecting items like bedding, towels, toiletries, gently used wheelchairs, clothing, sunblock, dog food, and insulated water bottles.
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Workforce Board Award
 Maricopa County’s Workforce Development program Workforce 2 You, which delivers accelerated job training to rural communities, recently received national recognition at the 2025 National Association of Workforce Boards Annual Forum and was honored with the Excellence in Partnership & Collaboration Award.
Congratulations to our Workforce Development team!
Reverse Vendor Expo
 More than 30 different County departments will meet with vendors for the Reverse Vendor Expo on May 1st. Vendors will get the opportunity to shake hands with decision makers and learn how to do business with the County. It will be held at the MCDOT Procurement Distribution Warehouse.
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 IN THE NEWS
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Youth Engagement Officer Proposed
via KJZZ.
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Facebook
Public Health celebrated #NationalVolunteerWeek by shining the spotlight on our amazing volunteers at Maricopa County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)! Your commitment and selflessness in giving back to the community do not go unnoticed.
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Instagram
 Animal Care & Control shared a post to show how many dogs that have homes end up in our care. Many of these pups come in with different color collars, tags, and even microchips.
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 CAPTION CONTEST
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Congratulations, Michelle!
Michelle Kraetsch from MCSO says this bearded dragon is hungry for a spider sandwich!
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Now For This Issue's Photo
Chelsea Fehringer from the Assessor's Office sent us this photo of her passenger prince, Buddy, after a long day playing at the park.
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 Thank you Michelle, and everyone who submitted a caption!
Send your caption our way using the link below,
or email us your favorite pet pic and we may use it in a future issue of Currents.
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