Lucas O’Connell joins the PremierFMS and AssuranceSD team as a distinguished leader and nationally recognized expert in home and community-based services with a specialization in consumer-directed care. With over 25 years of experience in human services, Lucas took the role of Vice President of Operations with PremierFMS in June 2023. He has dedicated his career to advocating for individuals with disabilities and aging adults, championing person-centered approaches and innovative service delivery models. 

Lucas has been in the national spotlight advocating for individuals with disabilities since 1998, when he began serving as the Director of the Justice Advocacy Project at the Arc of New Mexico. There, Lucas managed a statewide program providing consultation and training on identifying and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities involved in the justice system. During his tenure at the Arc, he presented to audiences across the country on challenges faced by both victims and offenders with unique needs and abilities. 

Throughout his career, Lucas has led large teams and managed operations spanning multiple states, focused on overseing self-directed service delivery models in Medicaid waiver programs. Lucas has played a pivotal role in developing novel service systems and expanding existing programs across the country, collaborating with families, state agencies, managed care organizations, and advocacy groups. 

Lucas’s contributions to self-direction and self-advocacy reaches beyond his professional roles. He’s an experienced speaker and presenter, sharing expertise at national conferences and seminars alike. His lectures and presentations cover a wide range of topics, including alternative home care employment models, crisis prevention/response, and promoting choice for individuals with disabilities. 

In recognition of innovations and leadership in Self-Direction, Lucas was nominated for the Applied Self Direction Excellence in Information & Assistance Award in 2019. For his work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Arc, Lucas also received the Elizabeth Monroe Boggs President’s Commitee Award for Leadership in 2000. Drawing on his wealth of experience supporting self-directed care networks and dedication to person-centered planning, Lucas continues to make significant contributions to the lives of individuals and families supported by PremierFMS and the AssuranceSD family of companies. 

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