Manager of DCS’ troubled computer system resigns

The official who oversaw the development and launch of an Arizona Department of Child Safety computer system now at the center of an ongoing snarl in payments and access has resigned, effective next week.

Linda Roberts is the agency’s chief information officer and has been with state government since 2011.

DCS confirmed her resignation, which a spokesman said she submitted last week.

“She found an opportunity out of state that will allow her to be with family,” the agency said in a statement, without commenting on whether her departure was linked to the troubled launch of Guardian, the agency’s information-management system. “We thank her for her service and send our best wishes on her future endeavors.”

Roberts led the creation of Guardian. Since it went live Feb. 1, one problem after another has cropped up.

Many foster and adoptive parents in February complained they were not receiving the stipends and subsidies they are due for caring for children. Some of them said the problem recurred in early

March even as DCS was using a workaround to send automatic payments to caregivers.

The Arizona Republic reported in March that the agency said it intentionally turned off the portal the caregivers use to file invoices for payment to ease “start-up strain” on the system. The portal remains closed seven weeks later.

This month, oversight agencies, such as the state Ombudsman/Citizen’s Aide and the state foster care review boards, complained they had been locked out of the new system, even though they had had access to its predecessor system.

Roberts told a state technology committee in mid-February that the Guardian system launch had gone well, saying, “Everything is working as expected and more importantly, no interruptions at all.“

According to The Republic’s salaries database, she was $137,000.

On Wednesday, a state Senate committee approved a bill intended to ensure that oversight agencies get direct access to Guardian, as well as the ability to tap in from their offices, instead of DCS’ suggestion that they come to DCS headquarters to do their work. state paid