Interested in HCBS Services?

Imagine Care’s Story

It’s more than a service; it’s a partnership. A Place Where Families Feel Supported, Heard, and Empowered.

Ali, Imagine Care’s HCBS Program Manager, spent four years working for the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), including 2½ years as a Lead Support Coordinator.

During her tenure at DDD, she had the opportunity to work closely with members and their families, and witnessed both the incredible possibilities within the DDD system and the challenges faced by families when navigating HCBS services.

As Ali gained experience and a deeper understanding of the services available through DDD, she began to recognize a significant need within the HCBS provider community. Families needed more than an agency that simply provided a service. They needed an agency that would listen, support, teach, advocate, problem-solve, and walk alongside them.

They needed a partner.

Her vision was centered around creating an agency where families felt genuinely supported and where HCBS services were about more than simply filling authorized hours. They were about helping individuals make meaningful progress, strengthening families, and creating opportunities for greater independence and quality of life.

In late 2026, Ali partnered with Andrew Starck, the owner of Imagine Care. From there, they worked collaboratively to develop a new vision for Imagine Care’s HCBS program: a comprehensive HCBS program built around multiple levels of support, advocacy, education, and collaboration.

Our Support Process

Support is an integral part of our approach from the very beginning. Even before we receive an Authorization, we open up communication with the family and member in order to understand their needs, and help them navigate the process.

Step One: Finding the Right Caregiver

Our first step is to schedule a consultation between the family and an Imagine Care HCBS Coordinator.

During this consultation, we will explore the caregiver options available to the family, including:

Helping a parent become trained and certified to provide services when appropriate
Analyzing the support network of family/friends to determine whether or not there’s an individual who would be a suitable fit as the member’s caregiver
Exploring caregiver options through Imagine Care for families who prefer an experienced caregiver outside of their existing support system
Helping families understand the training, qualifications, and expectations associated with each option

Our goal is not simply to find someone to fill a position.

Our goal is to help families find the right person to support their loved one.

Step Two: Understanding HCBS Services

Families will receive a detailed explanation of the HCBS services available through Imagine Care and the differences between those services.

We want families to understand what services are available, what each service is designed to accomplish, and how those services can be incorporated into the member’s overall support plan.

Step Three: Understanding the Member’s Needs

The Imagine Care HCBS team—which includes the member, their family, and their HCBS Coordinator—will work collaboratively to review the member’s current needs and further discuss the meetings with their DDD Support Coordinator.

When appropriate, the team may complete a mock HCBS assessment to help identify the member’s areas of need and determine whether the authorized level of support appears to align with the needs identified by the family and team.

If the team identifies a potential gap between the member’s needs and the services authorized, the HCBS Coordinator will work collaboratively with the family to develop a thoughtful plan that clearly communicates the member’s needs to their DDD Support Coordinator.

Our role is not to speak over the family or overstep the support coordinator’s role.

Our role is to help families find their voice, organize their concerns, understand the process, and effectively communicate why additional support may be necessary.

Habilitation Goals

When habilitation services are identified as an appropriate support, we take the same collaborative approach.

The process begins with a habilitation consultation.

During the consultation, the HCBS team will explore the family’s vision for the future.

What would life look like if this goal were mastered?

What would greater independence look like for this individual?

What would make everyday life easier, safer, or more meaningful for the member and their family?

From there, the HCBS Specialist will work collaboratively with the family to establish a clear baseline of the member’s current abilities.

We will then break down each goal into realistic and achievable steps.

Together, the team will develop goals that are:

Specific
Measurable
Meaningful
Individualized
Based on the member’s current abilities
Focused on functional progress and increased independence

The team will establish an initial 90-day progress target as well as a longer-term target for the next annual planning period.

Teaching Strategies That Make Sense

We believe that identifying a goal is only the beginning.

Families also need to understand how the goal will be taught.

The HCBS team will schedule a second consultation to collaboratively develop teaching strategies for each identified goal.

Together, we will determine:

What teaching strategies will be used
How the skill will be broken down into manageable steps
What supports or prompts may be helpful
How caregivers can reinforce learning throughout everyday routines
How progress will be measured
How strategies can be adjusted when something is not working

Our goal is to give families and caregivers practical strategies they can understand, implement, and carry over into everyday life.

Creating a Plan That Fits Real Life

Once goals and teaching strategies have been established, the HCBS team will work together to create a realistic schedule for implementation.

Rather than simply looking at the number of authorized hours, we will consider how those hours can be used intentionally and effectively.

The team will collaboratively determine:

Which days goals will be addressed
How frequently each goal will be practiced
How many times throughout the day the skill will be addressed
How long each teaching opportunity should last
How teaching opportunities can be incorporated naturally into the member’s daily routines

This approach allows HCBS services to become a meaningful part of the member’s life rather than simply a block of hours on a schedule.

Advocacy That Continues Beyond the Initial Authorization

Once the plan is developed, the HCBS coordinator will help the family prepare to present the plan to their DDD Support Coordinator.

Our goal is to attend as many 90 day meetings as possible; with a commitment of attending at least two 90-day meetings each year and remain actively involved in helping families evaluate and adjust their plan as their needs change.

The member’s needs are always changing; goals change, families change. Members also learn new skills, develop new challenges and reach new levels of independence.

Their HCBS plan should be able to change with them.

Our HCBS team will continue working alongside families to evaluate what is working, identify what is not, celebrate progress, and make thoughtful adjustments when needed.

What Sets Us Apart

Families should never have to navigate the system alone; and that’s why we’re here.

We believe HCBS should be about more than providing hours.

It should be about providing support, education, advocacy, meaningful teaching, collaboration, and hope.

Our Promises To You

To see every member as a whole person—not a number.

To see every family as a partner—not a paperwork requirement.

To see every caregiver as part of a team—not simply an employee.

And to make every authorized hour an opportunity for meaningful support and progress.

This is the Imagine Care vision for HCBS.

More support. More advocacy. More collaboration. More empowerment.

More care—because families deserve more than a service. They deserve a partner.