Hannah Zorn, intake case manager for Community Connections, was recognized as case manager of the year by Alliance Colorado, a statewide association that supports organizations assisting people with disabilities.

“I was surprised. I feel like I work with such an amazing team,” she said of receiving the award.

To others, the recognition came as no surprise.

“Her deep knowledge of our programs, coupled with her compassion and integrity, ensures that every person and family she works with receives the highest level of support,” said Elizabeth Fabrey, vice president of case management at Community Connections in an announcement on the Pagosa Daily Post. “She goes above and beyond to advocate for systemwide improvements, create educational resources, and remove barriers to care. She’s also an incredible teammate – always stepping up to support colleagues and the organization as a whole. We are truly lucky to have her.”

Community Connections is a nonprofit organization that connects people with disabilities, developmental delays and other complex needs to resources that help them lead comfortable and fulfilling lives.

While state and federal governments provide a range of services, the eligibility requirements are complex and often require a host of documentation. Community Connections shepherds people through the process of obtaining the those services.

As the intake case manager for the agency, Zorn processes referrals, assigns people to appropriate programs and provides guidance to those seeking assistance. If the organization cannot meet someone’s needs, she makes sure they are connected with the right resources elsewhere.

When someone is in the process of getting approved for services, the case manager is the one fighting on the back end, Zorn said.

They ensure all the necessary documents are submitted to state and federal agencies. Denials are common and it’s the case manager who appeals those decisions and fight for their clients, Zorn explained.

“It’s a pretty demanding job,” she said.

The never-ending roadblocks one must maneuver around to get the government bureaucracy to part with some of its resources gives the job a certain Sisyphean quality. Zorn said it often feels like she is making no progress, or not nearly enough.

Receiving the award, “it kind of pacifies that,” she said.

It has helped her feel validated in a role that’s often behind the scenes, and more important to Zorn, it has brought some recognition to La Plata County and Southwest Colorado.

“It’s usually the bigger towns or the bigger agencies, more toward the Front Range, that get the recognition or have the capacity to do more,” she said. “So it felt like a team win, like we, not just me, are doing a good job.”

Zorn is passionate about her work and the families she supports, and she finds it difficult to fully step away.

As a mother of two younger children who have needed extra support, Zorn feels deeply connected to the families trying to provide their children with all of the resources they can.

“The best part is when I have a parent come to me and say, ‘Our lives are so much better because we have this waiver now, and I can afford to pay my bills,’” she said.

Those victories are important, Zorn said, especially when considering the many gaps in the system.

Often times, the organization is unable to help the people seeking assistance because their disability is not considered “bad enough” or their income does not meet eligibility requirements, Zorn said.

She’s deeply empathetic, so those defeats – she takes them personally.

“I care so much, I don’t know that I could ever just turn it off,” she said. “I don’t know that I could ever just turn my computer off and stop caring, or stop thinking about people.”

While exhausting, the impact she can have on the quality of other people’s lives is what attracted her to the job.

Zorn’s first career was in medical sales. She liked it well enough, but the desire to do more service-oriented work lingered inside of her, unvoiced.

After returning to school to complete her degree, she was laid off by a previous employer. That’s when she stumbled across a job posting for an administrative position at Community Connections.

Four years later, Zorn’s role has grown significantly. Reflecting on her journey, she said it makes sense in hindsight.

Her mother was a special-education teacher, a fact Zorn credits with shaping her advocacy mindset.

“So coming here – to Community Connections – kind of felt like home,” she said. “I guess it just clicked.”

jbowman@durangoherald.com