President’s Message: 2024 With Light in Sight!
At the dawn of a new year, I hope you, like me, are feeling energized to bring new ideas and goals to life… Keep reading

3 APNA Members Were Featured in the News for Their Outstanding Care
View their stories, and then check out the latest edition of JAPNA featuring articles authored by APNA Members. Inspire me

The Art of Deprescribing with Kirby Williams
Ahead of her presentation at the APNA 22nd Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute, Williams provides background for you on this essential aspect of PMH nursing practice. Hear from Kirby Williams

My PMH Nurse Luminary Helped Found APNA
In this installment of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Luminaries, Wailua Brandmam shares how a colleague of Hildegard Peplau is his luminary. See who it is

Self-Harm Prevention Project: Presenting at the APNA Annual Conference
APNA Member Lisa Ledonne shares why she chose to submit an abstract for a poster presentation for the APNA Annual Conference. Learn more about the project

The APNA 38th Annual Conference Call for Abstracts is Now Open!
Discover the expert within and add to your colleagues’ evidence-based knowledge. The deadline to send is March 4. I have an idea!

Your Expert Opinion is Needed! Review Abstracts for the APNA 38th Annual Conference!
Join the APNA Scholarly Review Committee and determine what pre-conference sessions, concurrent sessions, mini concurrent sessions, and poster presentations will be presented at the October conference in Louisville, Kentucky. I can help!

Register now for the APNA 22nd Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute
Save your in-person or virtual seat for June 6-9 to receive crucial psychopharmacologic updates – plus earn up to 21.25 pharmacology contact hours. Secure my spot

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced $50 million in grants for states to connect millions more children to critical health care services, particularly for mental health, at school. The grants will provide 20 states up to $2.5 million each in funding that can help states implement, enhance, and expand the use of school-based health services through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Full Story

Young people with bipolar spectrum disorder who received dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) had significantly fewer suicide attempts compared with young people who received standard psychotherapy, according to a report published in JAMA Psychiatry. DBT is an evidence-based treatment that focuses on emotional regulation, and one of its uses is for suicidal behavior. Full Story

Twelve percent of nurse leaders plan to leave their position in the next six months, according to an American Organization for Nursing Leadership Foundation study. The 2024 Longitudinal Nursing Leadership Insight Study has surveyed leaders since July 2020. The latest report, based on a survey conducted in November 2023, included responses from 2,476 nurse leaders. The survey tracks nurse leaders' top challenges, effective solutions, mental health needs and areas for support, reported Becker's Clinical Leadership. Full Story

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)  announced the availability of $52.5 million in funding for grants to community-based organizations that provide or coordinate suicide prevention services for veterans and their families — including conducting veteran mental health screenings, providing case management and peer support services, delivering emergency clinical services and reaching out to veterans at risk of suicide. Full Story

The Department of Veterans Affairs issued a request for applications (RFA) for proposals from its network of VA researchers (in collaboration with academic institutions) to study the use of certain psychedelic compounds in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Full Story

Dr. Susanne J. Phillips with the University of California Irvine published the 36th Annual APRN Legislative Update: Improving Practice Scope and Authority, One State at a Time. In this report, the author highlights the work underway across the nation to remove statutory and regulatory barriers to full APRN practice, including a summary of practice authority for NPs in the U.S. The author provides individual state snapshots, including data and updates related to legislative developments, practice authority, reimbursement, and helpful links to state-specific resources. Click here to access the report.

Nurses remain the most trusted profession, with 78% of U.S. adults currently believing nurses have high honesty and ethical standards, according to Gallup’s 2023 Honesty and Ethics poll. However, that is down seven percentage points from 2019 and 11 points from its peak in 2020. Americans’ ratings of nearly all 23 professions measured in the poll are lower than they have been in recent years. Full Story

A group of bipartisan senators have reintroduced a bill to expand access to virtual mental healthcare services for Medicare beneficiaries. The Telemental Health Care Access Act aims to remove the statutory requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person within six months before receiving mental healthcare services through telehealth, reported mHeathIntelligence.com. Full Story

Pregnant service members and new mothers in the military who are struggling with mental health issues could see additional support under a new Senate bill. The legislation spearheaded by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, and co-sponsored by Sen. Deb Fischer, R-NE, aims to launch a pilot program within the Defense Department that would establish perinatal mental health prevention programs at military treatment facilities throughout the country, reported Stars and Stripes. Full Story

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a new model to test approaches for addressing the behavioral and physical health, as well as health-related social needs, of people with Medicaid and Medicare. The Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model’s goal is to improve the overall quality of care and outcomes for adults with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorder by connecting them with the physical, behavioral, and social supports needed to manage their care. Full Story

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is requesting public comment on conditions that commonly co-occur with autism. Specifically, IACC is requesting comment on the impact of physical, mental, or other related conditions that co-occur with autism and research, services, or policy needs that may help address issues related to these conditions. IACC will use the comments to inform future activities. The deadline for submitting a comment is Feb. 14, 2024. Submit comments by clicking here.

The Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, co-led by the Office on Women’s Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is requesting public comments on questions related to the prevention and treatment of maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Comments will be accepted through February 8, 2024, at 12:00 am ET. Click here to submit comments.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in partnership with American Association for Community Psychiatry and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing have published a white paper: Toward A National Standard For Service Intensity Assessment And Planning For Mental Health Care. The white paper outlines a set of service intensity utilization tools that are well positioned to become the national standard for mental health level of care assessment and planning. Click here to read the white paper.

Click here to see letters APNA has signed on to as a part of its participation in coalitions that further policy for nursing and mental health.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.