2021 APNA Annual Activity Report
The President, Treasurer and Secretary, have each provided reports which speak to key APNA activities from the past year. Supplemental reports in the Appendix offer a comprehensive look at council accomplishments, educational programs, financial statements, and more.

2021 APNA Annual Awards Recipient Profiles
The APNA Annual Awards recognize APNA members who demonstrate excellence in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice, education, research, leadership, community efforts, and more. Recipients are nominated by their peers and recognized at the APNA Annual Conference and in communications throughout the year. Click here to read the 2021 recipients’ inspirational stories.

APNA Conference Updates
Thanks to all who joined the virtual APNA Annual Conference October 13-16! Stay tuned for more information on session recordings in the APNA eLearning Center. As a reminder, the virtual Annual Conference event in December was cancelled with the virtual announcement for the October event. And mark your calendars for the APNA 20th Annual Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute June 9-12 in Reston, VA and the APNA 36th Annual Conference October 19-22 in Long Beach, CA.

APNA Competency Based Training for Suicide Prevention
Learn to systematically apply the first suicide prevention competencies developed for psychiatric-mental health nurse generalists to your practice! This interactive training, presented by a facilitator with expertise in suicide prevention, will increase your confidence and competence in the nursing skills of suicide assessment, management and prevention. Get evidence-based nursing knowledge and best practices from this content developed to improve the knowledge, attitudes, skills and critical thinking of psychiatric-mental health nurses caring for persons at risk for suicide. Two sessions are available - Dec. 10 and 11. Click here to register or learn more.

Mental Health America (MHA) released its annual State of Mental Health in America report, which ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 15 mental health access and prevalence measures. This year, Massachusetts (#1), New Jersey (#2), and Pennsylvania (#3) were the top three ranking states. Arizona (#49), Idaho (#50), and Nevada (#51) were the three bottom-ranking states. Notably, Nevada has ranked last for six of the report’s eight years. Full Story

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the list of underlying medical conditions associated with higher risk for severe COVID-19. The list now includes mental health disorders limited to mood disorders, including depression, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Substance use disorder is also on the list of eligible conditions. CDC recommends a COVID-19 booster shot to people with those conditions who are fully vaccinated. Full Story

National rates of anxiety and depression declined in the first half of 2021 but remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to a CDC report. The CDC found average anxiety severity scores increased 13% between August and December 2020 before falling 26.8% between December 2020 and June 2021. Researchers reported a similar trend for depression rates. Full Story

More than two-thirds of nurses have reported experiencing stress, exhaustion and frustration over the past two weeks, according to an Oct. 14 survey from the American Nurses Foundation. Sixty-eight percent of nurses said they have not sought professional mental health support since March 2020, reported Becker's Hospital Review. Full Story

Between 2011 and 2019, fewer than 12% of adolescents with major depression and substance use disorder were treated for both conditions, according to results of a survey study published in JAMA Network Open, reported Healio.com. Full Story

As the impact of the pandemic on mental health continues, psychologists are reporting a large increase in demand for treatment of anxiety and depression compared with last year, according to a new survey by the American Psychological Association. Many psychologists also said they had increased workloads and longer waitlists than before the pandemic. Full Story

A commonly available oral diuretic pill approved by the FDA may be a potential candidate for an Alzheimer’s disease treatment for those who are at genetic risk, according to findings published in Nature Aging. The research included an analysis showing that those who took bumetanide — a commonly used and potent diuretic — had a significantly lower prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those not taking the drug. The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), advances a precision medicine approach for individuals at greater risk of the disease because of their genetic makeup. Full Story

In the largest genome-wide association study of bipolar disorder to date, researchers found about twice as many genetic locations associated with bipolar disorder as reported in previous studies. These and other genome-wide findings help improve understanding of the biological origins of bipolar disorder and suggest some promising genes for further research. The study, led by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium bipolar disorder working group, is published in Nature Genetics. Full Story

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a suite of bills to help address the homelessness crisis and enhance California’s response to people suffering from mental health issues on the streets, a critical part of the Governor’s $22 billion housing affordability and homelessness package. Full Story

Following up on its commitment to invest $825 million in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing the distribution of funds to 231 CMHCs across the country. SAMHSA is requiring the 231 CMHCs to develop a behavioral health disparities impact statement no later than 60 days after receiving their grant awards; to develop a quality-improvement plan to address under-resourced populations’ differences based on access, use and outcomes of service activities; and to identify methods for the development of policies and procedures to ensure adherence to the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care. Full Story

A recently published Fact Sheet summarizes how agencies and offices across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working together to advance behavioral health for children, youth, and their families, with an emphasis on improving access, promoting equity, and fostering innovation. Full Story

New medical research from North Carolina’s prison system supports the use of alternative treatment for offenders with mental illness. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, evaluates therapeutic diversion units (TDUs), which are treatment-oriented prison housing for offenders with a mental illness. TDUs are staffed with behavioral health, nursing and custody professionals. They provide an alternative to restrictive housing, reported The Caswell Messenger. Full Story

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.