About Arizona Disability Pathways LLC

 At Arizona Disability Pathways LLC, we provide compassionate, experienced advocacy and navigation support for families seeking Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) and Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) services. With over 20 years as a former Arizona DDD/DES behavioral health professional and SMI Clinical Coordinator and SMI Case Manager, our founder and team bring deep, insider knowledge of the system—its processes, requirements, and common pitfalls—to help families secure the critical supports their loved ones deserve.

Navigating ALTCS and DDD applications is often an exhausting, emotionally draining journey filled with complex paperwork, evolving eligibility rules, lengthy waits, and the constant fear of denial. Many families—especially those supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities —face repeated setbacks that delay essential services such as respite care, home modifications, therapies, equipment, and daily living supports. These denials are rarely about the merits of the case; more often, they stem from preventable technical or procedural errors that leave families feeling overwhelmed, defeated, and unseen by a system that should be there to help.

Our core offering empowers you to overcome these barriers

We provide educational coaching and document preparation assistance only — never legal advice — so families can better prepare for the PAS assessment, organize required documents, and avoid common denials.

We stand with families from the very beginning of their journey through long-term success by providing expert, compassionate support across every critical area:

• Mastering the ALTCS/DDD Application Process: Teaching the 10 most common mistakes that lead to denials and equipping families with proven strategies to avoid them, resulting in stronger initial approvals.
• Expert Documentation and Planning: Hands-on assistance developing accurate, compelling records of daily living needs, behaviors, functional limitations, and Person-Centered Service Plans (PCSP) that truly reflect real-life requirements for PAS hours, respite, therapies, equipment, and home modifications.
• Paid Parent Provider Empowerment: Guiding qualified parents and family members through the entire process to become compensated caregivers — including all required trainings (Article 9, CPR/First Aid), fingerprint clearance, and application support — so the person who knows and loves the member best can provide consistent, high-quality care while easing financial strain.
• End-to-End Journey Coaching: Delivering simple checklists, realistic timelines, and personalized step-by-step guidance through the full ALTCS experience — from initial application and assessments to appeals, implementation, redeterminations, and ongoing management.

Our ultimate goal is not just paperwork or approvals — it is to lighten the heavy load on families, reduce burnout, prevent unnecessary denials and appeals, and ensure loved ones receive timely, adequate, and person-centered supports. We fight alongside you with both professional precision and genuine heart, honoring the love, dedication, and daily sacrifices you make.

By combining deep system knowledge with practical tools and unwavering advocacy, Arizona Disability Pathways LLC helps turn bureaucratic frustration into stability, empowerment, and hope. We exist so families can spend less time battling the system and more time loving and supporting their loved ones.

Let us walk with you on this journey. Contact Arizona Disability Pathways LLC today to learn how our integrated services can help your family thrive.

Terry  Lewis  is the founder of Arizona Disability Pathways LLC. With more than two decades of dedicated service in Arizona’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems, Terry brings unmatched professional expertise and deeply personal insight to every family he serves.

Throughout his career, Terry has held key roles including Clinical Coordinator, SMI (Serious Mental Illness) Case Manager, Family Counselor, and DDD (Division of Developmental Disabilities) Case Manager within Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES) and Department of Developmental Disabilities. In these positions, he directly managed complex cases, conducted assessments, developed Person-Centered Service Plans, coordinated care across multiple systems, and advocated relentlessly for individuals and families navigating ALTCS and DDD services. His hands-on experience spans eligibility determinations, functional assessments, crisis intervention, service plan implementation, appeals, and long-term care coordination.

What sets Terry apart is not only his extensive professional background, but his lived experience as the father of a Level 3 non-verbal autistic son. He walks daily in the same shoes as the families he serves — managing profound communication barriers, sensory needs, behavioral challenges, safety concerns, and the relentless 24/7 nature of caregiving. This personal journey has given him an intimate understanding of the emotional, financial, and systemic struggles that families face: the exhaustion of fighting for every service hour, the heartbreak of denials and delays, the frustration of incomplete documentation, and the quiet determination required to keep advocating even when the system feels overwhelming.

Terry’s approach is rooted in both professional precision and genuine compassion. Having seen the ALTCS/DDD system from the inside — as a case manager, coordinator, and now as a parent — he knows exactly where families get stuck and how to help them succeed. His work is driven by a deep sense of justice and a calling to lighten the load for other families who are carrying similar burdens. He is committed to turning bureaucratic obstacles into clear pathways so that children and adults with developmental disabilities can receive the timely, adequate, and dignified supports they need and deserve.

At Arizona Disability Pathways LLC, Terry combines insider system knowledge, proven advocacy strategies, and the heart of a father who truly understands. His mission is to empower families with the tools, guidance, and representation necessary to navigate ALTCS and DDD with confidence and hope.

Matt Wayne Baker is a key member and Co- Founder of the Arizona Disability Pathways LLC team, bringing a wealth of specialized expertise in mediation, healthcare systems, family dynamics, and program leadership to support families navigating ALTCS and DDD services.

Matt is a Certified Mediator with extensive experience guiding families through difficult conversations and conflict resolution. As a Medical Billing and Accounts Specialist, he has deep knowledge of healthcare reimbursement systems, insurance navigation, billing complexities, and financial coordination — skills that prove invaluable when helping families understand service authorizations, maximize approved funding, and resolve payment or claims issues within the ALTCS/DDD framework.

His background as a Counseling and Family Reconciliation Specialist equips him to support families dealing with the emotional and relational strain that often accompanies caregiving for loved ones with developmental disabilities. Matt also served as a Substance Abuse Recovery Programs Administrator, where he designed, implemented, and oversaw comprehensive recovery initiatives — experience that strengthens our ability to connect families with holistic resources, person-centered planning, and long-term wellness supports.

Additionally, Matt brings significant leadership experience in Executive Team Development. He has trained and coached high-performing teams, improving communication, collaboration, and operational effectiveness — strengths he now applies to help our clients build strong, coordinated care teams around their loved ones and to enhance the overall efficiency and advocacy power of Arizona Disability Pathways LLC.

Matt’s multifaceted expertise allows the agency to offer well-rounded support that goes beyond traditional case navigation. He helps families resolve conflicts with providers or systems, streamline medical and financial documentation, strengthen family unity during stressful processes, and access integrated recovery and behavioral health resources when needed. His professional skill set complements the agency’s mission by addressing both the practical/systemic challenges and the human/emotional realities of disability advocacy.

Together with our founder, Matt helps ensure that families receive compassionate, comprehensive guidance that honors their unique circumstances while delivering practical results in the often complex world of ALTCS and DDD services.