So . . . Who is this BADASS of Colorado Medicaid?
It’s still a little surreal hearing people call me that.
If we’re just meeting for the first time, I’m Maureen. Mom, advocate, and independent educator.
Thirteen years ago, my son entered the system. I did what most families do.
I trusted the people inside it would guide us.
Instead, what I found was a revolving door of case managers, long waitlists, delayed callbacks, confusing paperwork, and a system that seemed impossible to understand unless you knew exactly who to ask and what to say.
So I started learning everything I could.
From Overwhelmed Mom to Badass Medicaid Advocate
I attended policy meetings.
Asked hard questions.
Built relationships with agency leaders, advocates, legislators, journalists, and other families trying to survive the same system.
Eventually, I learned how the waiver system actually worked.
Then other families started reaching out.
Why I do this work.
Most families are already overwhelmed before they ever apply for a waiver.
They are trying to care for someone they love while balancing work, appointments, paperwork, and constant uncertainty about the future.
They don’t need another person telling them to "just wait."
They need someone who will explain the system clearly, answer questions honestly, and help them understand what steps actually matter.
I know what they need because I have lived it. And I know what it cost my family to figure this out the hard way.
I don't want another family to pay that price.
What makes my approach different
I'm not funded by the state, and I'm not a case manager.
I'm an independent educator who teaches families how the system actually works, including the things most people never explain.
I stay deeply involved in Colorado disability policy so families do not have to spend hours trying to keep up with changes on their own.
Over the last 13 years, I have helped families:
Access waiver services in months instead of years
Qualify for the right waivers without months of guessing
Get answers when case managers stop responding
Unlock caregiving income they did not know they qualified for
Build long-term support plans that hold up when they are no longer the primary caregiver
Families trust me because I speak directly, tell the truth, and teach people what I wish someone had taught me years ago.
What my clients are saying
“Without NDC’s program, we’d still be floundering and trying to figure out how to use our son’s services. The program enabled us to fully understand the very confusing way that services are procured, tracked, and delivered. I’m honestly not sure how people navigate the system without a program like this!”
“Thank you for the information! I feel like a baby whose eyes are suddenly opening to a much greater world. You are a great teacher. I really appreciate all the little things you do!”
“I found it really helpful that the Maximize Your Waiver course in NDC’s program offers instruction both in how to better communicate with case managers, as well as in how the waiver and the system works. As a result, we’ve developed a better working relationship with our case manager and have secured service plan revisions. We are also now getting more services than we had been, after learning more about the waiver and what it has to offer.”
Where to go from here
If you are feeling overwhelmed by Colorado's waiver system, the monthly info session is the place to start.
Inside the session, I walk families through how the waiver system works, what services may be available, and how to stop wasting years trying to piece everything together alone.
