Juana Tolbert

I work as a Program Eligibility Specialist for the Department of Human Services, where I have been for almost a year. My primary responsibility is making decisions on SNAP and Medicaid cases, which involves interviewing clients, gathering information, and helping them access food stamps and other essential services. The main thing I do is really just talking to clients and being able to help other people get these services. Before this role, I worked in customer service for disability determination for Social Security, assisting others with their disability cases. That job was very hard and heavy because I experienced people losing their homes, being put out on the street, and I even talked to clients who were living in tents during storms. I heard from people who had worked all their lives but couldn't get the help they needed when they needed it most. I found myself encouraging people and giving them an opportunity to be heard, because sometimes people just want someone who will listen to them and advocate for them. One mental health client told me at the end of our call that I may have just saved a life, simply because I took the time to listen, engage with her, and make her feel seen and heard. That was such a privilege, and it made me realize that this work has become more than just a job. It has been my way of being able to help people. These experiences have shaped me to want to become a transformation coach, coaching women and getting into some aspects of mental health, because mental health is real and sometimes it is just a matter of people listening, redirecting them, or giving them a different perspective.