Allyson Neal, assistant dean of graduate programs, has been elected as President-Elect for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). APNA is largest organization in the U.S. for psychiatric-mental health nurses at all levels.
Guided by a strategic direction and governed by its Board of Directors, APNA is committed to the practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing, health and wellness promotion through identification of mental health issues, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with mental health disorders.
APNA champions psychiatric-mental health nursing and mental health care through the development of positions on key issues, the dissemination of current knowledge and developments in PMH nursing, and collaboration with stakeholders to promote advances in recovery-focused assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of persons with mental health disorders.
As President-Elect, Neal will serve a total of 3 years on the APNA Board of Directors: one as President-Elect, one as President, and one as Immediate Past President.
Neal has been deeply involved with the organization for many years, including representing APNA on the Licensure Accreditation Certification Education (LACE) Network since 2018 and the National Task Force (NTF) on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education since 2019.
“I am excited to bring my national representation experience where I have advocated for education, licensure, accreditation, and practice standards to this new role,” says Neal. “By embracing each member’s input and leveraging our diverse experiences and skills, we will ensure that APNA remains at the forefront of advancing mental health care.”
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CONTACT:
Kara Clark (865-974-9498, kmclark2@utk.edu)