Jennifer O'connell NP

Jennifer O'Connell is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who has dedicated her career to advancing mental health care since entering the nursing profession in 2007. With a strong background in psychiatric nursing, she has focused her work on supporting patients with complex mental health conditions and helping ensure they receive the treatments they need. She earned her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from Maryville University, building on years of clinical experience that shaped her patient-centered and advocacy-driven approach to care.

Currently, Jennifer works at Cigna, where she specializes in reviewing and appealing insurance denials for specialty psychiatric medications. Her work focuses on complex treatments such as Austedo, used to manage involuntary movements caused by psychiatric medication side effects, and Spravato, a ketamine-based nasal spray designed for treatment-resistant depression. Jennifer collaborates closely with physicians’ offices to conduct detailed criteria reviews and craft appeals that help patients gain approval for these critical therapies. Through this work, she plays an important role in bridging clinical expertise with healthcare policy and insurance processes.

Earlier in her career, Jennifer served as a manager on a locked geriatric psychiatric unit, where she developed extensive experience working with vulnerable patients experiencing severe psychiatric conditions. That hands-on leadership role strengthened her understanding of complex mental health needs and reinforced her commitment to patient advocacy. Today, Jennifer continues to combine her clinical knowledge with her passion for improving access to care, helping ensure that individuals facing serious mental health challenges can obtain innovative and potentially life-changing treatments.

• Community college (nursing degree
• Maryville University (nurse practitioner)

• PMHNP-BC (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified)

• ANA (American Nurses Association)
• ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center)