Lacuna leaders joined behavioral health executives in Nashville to discuss responsible growth, access to care, and the future of autism services.
Lacuna Autism Services CEO Alex Jamieson participated in a McDermott HealthEx 2026 panel discussion titled “Transforming autism care: Navigating access, accountability, and the next wave of growth.” Photos courtesy of McDermott.
Lacuna Autism Services recently joined behavioral health leaders from across the country at McDermott HealthEx 2026 in Nashville, contributing to important conversations surrounding the future of autism services, sustainable growth, and access to care.
The event brought together executives, operators, investors, and clinical leaders from across the behavioral health industry to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the next phase of care delivery.
As part of the conference, Alex Jamieson, Founder and CEO of Lacuna Autism Services, participated in a featured panel discussion titled “Transforming autism care: Navigating access, accountability, and the next wave of growth.”
The session explored key issues impacting the Applied Behavior Analysis industry, including expanding access to services, maintaining accountability during periods of growth, workforce development, reimbursement dynamics, and the long-term sustainability of autism care organizations.
Growing With Intention
During the discussion, Alex shared Lacuna’s perspective on responsible growth and the importance of building systems that allow ABA organizations to scale without losing sight of the families and clinicians at the center of care.
As demand for autism services continues to increase nationwide, the conversation emphasized that growth alone cannot define success. Sustainable expansion requires strong clinical standards, operational accountability, and a long-term commitment to meaningful outcomes for children and families.
This philosophy remains central to how the Lacuna approaches growth across multiple states and communities.
Keeping Compassion at the Center of Care
One of the strongest themes throughout the panel was the importance of preserving compassion, advocacy, and community connection during periods of rapid change within the healthcare landscape.
While the autism services industry continues to evolve, panelists emphasized that organizations must remain focused on the human side of care, ensuring that children, families, and clinicians remain the priority behind every operational and strategic decision.
For Lacuna, this reflects a core belief that ABA organizations can grow with heart, creating systems that support not only scalability, but also clinical integrity, clinician support, and individualized care.
Building Relationships Across the Behavioral Health Industry
In addition to the panel discussion, the Lacuna team spent several days connecting with leaders and professionals from across the behavioral health sector throughout the conference.
These conversations provided valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, discuss industry trends, and strengthen relationships with others committed to improving access to high-quality autism services nationwide.
As Lacuna continues expanding into new communities, engagement with industry leaders remains an important part of helping shape thoughtful and sustainable approaches to care delivery.
Looking Ahead
The conversations taking place across the behavioral health industry continue to reinforce the growing need for accessible, evidence-based autism services supported by strong clinical leadership and intentional operational growth.
Lacuna remains committed to contributing to these discussions while continuing to expand access to care for families across the communities we serve.
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in McDermott HealthEx 2026 and look forward to continuing conversations that help advance the future of autism care.