Policy priorities to improve access to advanced practice nursing care for mental health and substance use problems: An American Academy of Nursing manuscript

Matthew Tierney; JoEllen Schimmels; Kathleen Delaney; Mercy Mumba; Derrick Glymph; Cynthia Handrup; Bethany Phoenix

doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102342

Policy priorities to improve access to advanced practice nursing care for mental health and substance use problems: An American Academy of Nursing manuscript

Nurs Outlook. 2024 Dec 11;73(1):102342. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102342. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Matthew Tierney¹, JoEllen Schimmels², Kathleen Delaney³, Mercy Mumba⁴, Derrick Glymph⁵, Cynthia Handrup⁶, Bethany Phoenix⁷

Affiliations

¹ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; University of California San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital, Opiate Treatment Outpatient Program (OTOP), San Francisco, CA. Electronic address: Matt.Tierney@ucsf.edu.
² American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
³ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; Rush College of Nursing, Department of Community Systems and Mental Health, Chicago, IL.
⁴ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; Capstone College of Nursing, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
⁵ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; Duke University Nurse Anesthesia Program, Durham, NC.
⁶ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; University of Chicago, Illinois, Department of Population Health Nursing Science, Chicago, IL.
⁷ American Academy of Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health and Substance Use Expert Panel, Washington, DC; UCSF School of Nursing, San Francisco, CA.

PMID: 39667210
DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102342

Abstract

Nearly 50% of the U.S. population struggles with a mental health or substance use disorder in their lifetime, yet a substantial number are unable to receive treatment or are undertreated due to significant shortages and disparities in the mental health workforce. These shortages and disparities contribute to health inequities that leave already-vulnerable populations at increased risk for detrimental consequences. Access to mental health and substance use treatment could be improved by better utilizing the Advanced Practice nursing workforce providing care in mental health and substance use treatment, and by better defining Advanced Practice nursing roles, including those with specialty certifications in mental health and substance-related care. This paper makes policy recommendations to better define, grow, and more fully utilize the Advanced Practice nursing workforce providing mental health and substance-related services.

Keywords: Addressing health disparities; Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN); Behavioral health access; Health policy; Mental health; Substance use.