Independent Oversight Committee
The Independent Oversight Committees (IOC), previously referred to as the Human Rights Committees (HRC), was established in the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) on August 3, 2018.
The transition of the Independent Oversight Committees (IOC) consolidated the various client services committees under one administration. The committees are comprised of passionate volunteers with years of industry experience. They provide an advocate/client/guardian perspective to multi-billion dollar programs in developmental disabilities and mental health services.
The committees' operations rely on agency representatives to provide staff, training, and operational support. Agency support staff, generally, consists of subject matter experts from the client operations centers and support units where the program resides, and where similar federal requirements for such oversight exist.
The requirement for the IOCs are defined in the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 41-3801 through 41-3804. Per statute, the purpose of each committee is to provide independent oversight to:
- Ensure the rights of clients are protected.
- Review incidents of possible abuse, neglect, or denial of a client's rights.
- Make recommendations to the director and the legislature regarding laws, rules, policies, procedures, and practices to protect clients receiving behavioral health and developmental disability services.