Nancy has not had a place she could call home for a little over a year. She had a very rough beginning which led to her being adopted when she was 15 years old by a family who had promised to take care of her. That promise was broken when she was 17. She’d become pregnant and – after experiencing a mental health crisis – she was told to leave her home. Her adoptive parents did not want her problems influencing her younger siblings. 

Soon after she became unsheltered, Nancy met 19-year-old Darien. He’d also had some bad luck in life, but he knew what he liked – and he liked Nancy! They found their way forward together. It isn’t always easy, but they have each other and that has really helped. With the help of Medicaid, Nancy had her baby. Darien loved that baby as his own and worked hard to make a home for his new family; but, try as they might, they could not find their way to a stable life. Together, they made the heartbreaking decision to allow their precious baby to be adopted by a couple who had a home and everything they had dreamed of giving their baby. 

They continued working their way out of poverty together when she discovered she was pregnant again. They were both very excited about this news! This time they were determined to find a way to keep their family together. Nancy knew she would need to see a doctor to make sure her baby had a healthy start. That was when she discovered she had lost her Medicaid coverage during the Post-Covid Unwinding. That was okay. She knew what she needed to do. 

Nancy headed to DHS and applied for Pregnancy Medicaid. When they asked her for identification, she was at a loss. Someone robbed her a few months prior, and all her personal documents were gone. Her Medicaid application was denied and – with nowhere to turn for help and no idea of how she would ever replace her personal documents, Nancy contacted Legal Aid and asked for help. Because she was adopted, she wasn’t sure where or how to obtain her personal documents.   

Nancy will always be grateful for Legal Aid. Her attorney contacted her adopted – and now estranged – mother and, after a few tense moments, was able to obtain a copy of Nancy’s Social Security card. Now, Nancy has Medicaid for her and her baby and enough documentation to begin retrieving her other personal documents. 

Nancy and Darien are getting married this Spring. Based on their calculations, they will have enough money to move into a modest home at about the same time. It’s been a rough couple of years, but they are hopeful that their lives are finally moving forward in a positive way. Despite everything that has happened to her, Nancy expresses a deep love and appreciation for her mother and her younger sister. When asked where she would rate Medicaid on a scale of 1-5, she gave it a 10! She is grateful for what her adopted mother was willing to do for her, her new life with Darien, and for her Legal Aid attorney, Melissa, for helping her give her and her new baby a fresh start.