Supporting eligibility redeterminations with compassion

As a senior managing director within our U.S. Services segment, Carrie Thomas oversees health and human services program operations across several southwestern states. With 35 years of experience supporting government programs in state and private sector roles, Carrie possesses extensive operational expertise. Following nearly two decades of successfully leading our Eligibility Support Services project in Texas, her responsibilities have expanded to include operations oversight in several key states.

Carrie’s leadership is grounded in a deep understanding of state benefit programs and steadfast commitment to the people behind the processes — whether a caseworker, a customer service representative, or a family in need of benefits.

Summing up her approach, Carrie states, “We’re not tech support. We’re people support.” This philosophy underpins her leadership style and exemplifies how Maximus strives to improve lives by helping governments serve people more efficiently, effectively, and with a human touch.

I’ve always seen my role as helping to clear the way for frontline staff to ensure the people we serve get the help they need faster and in the most convenient way possible.

When the Texas Health and Human Services Commission brought in a vendor to support their eligibility processes for several benefits programs, I saw it as an opportunity to make a bigger impact. As a private sector partner, I could apply my skills to help streamline eligibility operations in a way that would free up the state’s staff to focus on the more complex eligibility determinations.

Our goal is to help people connect to the government services they need, often during critical moments in their lives. Many callers reach out to our contact centers in urgent or challenging situations — like running out of food benefits before Thanksgiving or seeking Medicaid coverage for a sick child. They may be going through a joyful time in their life or a painful time. If we can guide them through the administrative processes and make those interactions easier while treating them with dignity, then we’ve done our job.

We focus on empathy and preparation by fostering a supportive environment where our customer service representatives feel valued. With this approach, we empower them to treat callers with the compassion and respect they deserve.

We remind our staff that every call represents a real person with real needs. Our remote training programs include interactive mock calls to build confidence and readiness. Once they begin handling live calls, we offer one-on-one support to ensure new hires feel equipped and supported. That human-centered approach is what sets us apart.

Think of your role as the start of a rewarding career, not just a job. We take pride in fostering growth from within — many of our current project directors started as customer service representatives. We value promoting talent from within our organization, and if you’re passionate and eager to learn, there’s no limit to what you can achieve here.

I think technology will continue to play a bigger role in service delivery, but a human touch will always be essential. Behind every call, text, email, chat or uploaded document is a family waiting for benefits. Our work is about balancing innovation with compassion to serve people better.