About

My name is Marisa Benson, and I am the Founder and Lead Advocate of Disability Advocates of Arizona. My work focuses on helping families and supporters understand public benefits eligibility after a denial, particularly for individuals age 12 and older.

I came to this work both professionally and personally. I am the parent of four adopted children, several of whom required disability services. Like many families, I was told my children should qualify, yet applications were denied repeatedly. The process was confusing, and clear explanations were hard to find.

My first experience navigating eligibility for someone over age 12 was for my nephew, who was 25 at the time and approaching the loss of coverage under his parents’ insurance. That experience highlighted how quickly eligibility expectations change in adolescence and adulthood, and how little guidance families are given during those transitions.

Through repeated applications and denials, I learned how eligibility standards are applied, how documentation is reviewed, and where information is often unclear or misaligned with age-specific criteria. I also learned that families are rarely told plainly why a denial occurred or what the state was actually required to evaluate.

Before taking on full services, I assess whether eligibility criteria appear to be met based on published ALTCS and DDD standards and the documentation available at that time. This work is focused on alignment with eligibility requirements, not on promising outcomes.

I bring a background in business management and systems analysis to this work. My role is to help families understand how eligibility decisions are made, identify gaps or misalignment in documentation, and decide whether moving forward makes sense.

Disability Advocates of Arizona provides independent, non-legal advocacy support. We are not part of DDD or AHCCCS, and we do not make eligibility decisions. All determinations are made by the appropriate state agencies.

This work is intended for families and supporters who have already received a denial and are seeking clearer answers about what it means and what to consider next.