Course Description
Activity Dates: 04/19/2026 - 1/29/2027
The Clinical Application Series is an application-based continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activity designed to advance the knowledge and improve competency of participants through the delivery of evidence-based presentations. The interactive presentations are delivered live over two days at the AAPP Annual Meeting and provide knowledge and tools to improve the comprehensive care of patients with mental health disorders.
- Includes online access to the recorded speakers' audio presentations synchronized with their slide presentations (presented live at AAPP 2026 on April 20 and April 21 in Seattle, WA).
- Provides pharmacists, 10 hours of ACPE credit and 10 hours of BCPP recertification credit achieved by successfully completing the online AAPP recertification assessment. Of note, individuals who are also a BCPMP and successfully pass the assessment, will receive 1.25 hours of BCPMP recertification credit for The Mind-Body Connection: Integrating Psychiatric and Holistic Care in Fibromyalgia Management session, as this session offers dual BCPP and BCPMP credit. BCPP and BCPMP recertification credit is earned and reported within the year the assessment is successfully completed (2026 or 2027).
- Includes access to the AAPP testing center with assessment submission due on or before January 29, 2027. Assessment extensions will not be granted after assessment deadlines. In cases of personal or family illness that prevents completion of an assessment, AAPP will transfer your product purchase to a comparable BCPP Recertification course after a letter documenting the unique circumstances is received by the AAPP office.
Consider making these presentations part of your BPS Continuing Professional Development plan! Please refer to the BPS Psychiatric Pharmacy Content Outline to see how this activity may align.
Credit is awarded in the calendar year the assessment is completed. AAPP reports continuing credit for ACPE (CPE Monitor) and BCPP Recertification (BPS) within days of successful assessment completion.
New in 2026! The Clinical Application Series (CAS), a BCPP recertification product, is offered live at AAPP's Annual Meeting. Based on BCPP feedback, the number of CAS hours has DOUBLED from 5 to 10! AAPP members who register for the Annual Meeting (full registration only) get 50% off CAS! Members must be registered for the Annual Meeting before registering for CAS to receive the 50% discount.
Target Audience
BCPPs desiring an evidence-based, in-depth review of contemporary issues in psychiatric pharmacy at the specialist level are the intended audience of this recertification activity. This activity is designed for BCPPs who are auditory and visual learners and/or who learn best from hands-on-learning and dialoguing with specialist faculty and colleagues.
Faculty
View biographical information
- Vera Reinstein, PharmD, BCPS, FNCAP | Dr. Reinstein is a clinical pharmacist with Alliance Health, one of the 4 public behavioral health services managed care organization (MCO) for Medicaid and uninsured consumers in North Carolina. Dr. Reinstein is a proud gator, having earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Florida and completed PGY1 residency at Cone Health System in Greensboro. Credentialed as a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist since 1994, Dr. Reinstein has practiced in various settings, including academia with ambulatory care geriatric focus, industry, Inpatient hospital, Ambulatory Care in the VA in Florida, and NC Medicaid. In her current role since 2016 with Alliance Health, she works with internal staff and community partners to support and enhance access to evidence-based psychiatric pharmacotherapy, including access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and naloxone, to underutilized evidence-based therapies such as clozapine and long-acting injectable antipsychotics. Obtained funding and is involved in several projects with the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists to determine adequate payment for community pharmacies for services benefitting the behavioral health population, including long-acting injectable medication administration, adherence supports, tobacco cessation support, and point of care testing.
- Deepak K. Sarpal, MD | Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Medical director, Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis, UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital; Pittsburgh, PA; Dr. Deepak K. Sarpal completed residency training in psychiatry at The Zucker Hillside Hospital of Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and serves as Medical Director of the Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP) program of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. His research focuses on characterizing and understanding mechanisms underlying clinical outcomes of psychotic disorders and has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and the Pittsburgh Foundation.
- Jack Rozel, MD, MSL, DFAPA | Professor of Psychiatry and Law, University of Pittsburgh; Clinical Chief of Crisis Service UPMC Western Behavioral Health; Pittsburgh, PA; Dr. Rozel is the medical director of UPMC Crisis Services and a co-director of the UPMC Systemwide Threat Assessment and Response Team. Board certified in general, child, and forensic psychiatry, he is also a professor of Psychiatry and Law at the University of Pittsburgh. He divides his time between emergency mental health and violence work with a focus on threat management and workplace violence in healthcare.
- Nina Vadiei, PharmD, BCPP | Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacotherapy & Translational Sciences; Austin, TX; Nina Vadiei graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with her PharmD then completed her PGY1 and PGY2 psychiatric pharmacy residency with Ascension Seton Healthcare. She then moved to Tucson, Arizona to start her first post-residency position as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona (UA) College of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Psychiatry. She practiced as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Psychiatry at Banner University Medical Center South, managing medications for patients with serious mental illness and on the geriatric psychiatry unit. After six years with the University of Arizona, she transferred to her current position as a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in the Division of Pharmacotherapy & Translational Sciences in San Antonio. She spends half of her time practicing as a psychiatric pharmacist at San Antonio State Hospital, completing psychopharmacology consults for patients with serious mental illness and evaluating hospital and system-level psychotropic prescribing patterns. She precepts pharmacy students and residents who elect to complete clinical rotations in psychiatric pharmacy, always striving to make learning experiences fun and thought-provoking regardless of the learner’s interest in pursuing psychiatry as a career. Her primary areas of research include serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
- Andrea Sikora, PharmD, MSCR, FCCP, FCCM | Associate Professor University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Biomedical Informatics; Aurora, CO; Andrea Sikora, PharmD, MSCR, BCCCP, FCCM, FCCP is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and adjunct faculty at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Pharmacy. Dr. Sikora graduated from UGA College of Pharmacy, completed her PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC, and completed her Master of Science in Clinical Research from Emory University. She has received several federal grants evaluating applications of artificial intelligence for optimized medication use in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is an author of the book Pay It Forward: A Map to Mentorship in Medicine and InteGREAT: How to make great healthcare teams.
- Theresa Frey, PharmD, BCPP | Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner, William S. Middleton Veterans Memorial Hospital; Madison, WI; Theresa Frey, PharmD, BCPP is a psychiatric clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) and the residency director of the PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency program at the William S. Middleton VA in Madison, WI. Her clinical work has been in a variety of areas since graduating from PGY2 Pharmacy residency in 2011 including: residential substance use disorders, inpatient psychiatry, and outpatient psychiatric medication management. Currently, she works as a Harm Reduction Coordinator. Her interests include trainee mentoring, substance use disorders, overdose prevention, and motivational interviewing. She has helped support multiple VA National Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office initiatives to increase access to substance use disorders treatment via clinical pharmacist advanced practice models. She is a team member of the VA National Expert Consultation and Specialized Services- Mental Health: Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders program and the Ask-the-Expert Substance Use Disorders email response service.
- Franklin Schneier, MD | Director, Anxiety Disorders Clinic, NY State Psychiatric Institute; Special Lecturer in Psychiatry, Columbia University
New York, NY; Dr. Franklin Schneier directs the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at NY State Psychiatric Institute and is a Professor Emeritus and Special Lecturer in Psychiatry at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where his clinical research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for over 30 years. He is a graduate of Yale College and Cornell University Medical College, and he completed his residency in psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and a postdoctoral research fellowship at NY State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Schneier’s research has focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiology of social anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders. He has conducted clinical trials of medication and psychotherapies, and brain imaging studies using fMRI, SPECT, and PET. Dr. Schneier is author of more than 200 scholarly publications and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. He is on the scientific advisory boards of the Anxiety and Depression Association of American and the Andrew Kukes Social Anxiety Foundation. Dr. Schneier also maintains a private practice in New York City. - Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP | Clinical Associate Professor Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Binghamton, NY; Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, is a Clinical Associate Professor at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She provides didactic and experiential education in neurology, psychiatry, pain management, and substance use disorders. As part of her faculty appointment, Dr. Leppien established, and continues to maintain, a clinical practice at Guthrie Binghamton Pain Care, where she provides comprehensive pain management services. Within this practice, she integrates the treatment of psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders into chronic pain care. Dr. Leppien’s professional and research interests focus on non-opioid strategies for chronic pain management, integration of behavioral health services into chronic pain care, treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), and the safe use of psychotropic medications. In addition to her service within the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), Dr. Leppien is actively involved in the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists (SPPCP).
Course Requirements
To satisfactorily complete the recertification programming and receive BCPP Recertification and ACPE credit, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Register for this course.
- Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
- Abide by a confidentiality and honesty statement requiring individual completion of the course.
- Complete the post-test at the end of the activity no later than the closing activity date.
- Complete an activity evaluation form.
- Wait for an official review of exam questions within 4 weeks following the closing date.
- Receive a passing grade (70%).
- Partial credit is not provided; your exam score must meet or exceed the cut-off score in order to receive the ACPE and BCP Recertification credit.
- Learners who do not achieve a passing score on a post-activity assessment may appeal assessment questions and/or take a remediation assessment. View AAPP's Post-Activity Assessment Appeal and Remediation Policy.
- Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Dates: 04/19/2026 - 1/29/2027
ACPE Contact Hours: 10
ACPE Numbers: TBA
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Pharmacists can obtain 10 hours of ACPE credit and 10 hours of BCPP Recertification credit by successfully completing the online Clinical Application Series examination.
View Editorial Board Disclosures of Interest
Sarah Benner, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
Psychiatric Clinical Pharmacist
TidalHealth
Salisbury, MD
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Bridget Bradley, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Mental Health
Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Beaverton, OR
External Consultant Activities, Advisory Panels, Speakers Bureaus, etc.: ACCP PSAP May 2021, Neurology and Psychiatry Book, Oregon State P&T Committee
Educational Grants, Research Grants or Contracts: NACDS Community Pharmacy Residency Grant
Marissa Cullen, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacist
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Beth DeJongh, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
Director of Continuing Professional Development
American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists
Lincoln, NE
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP, FAAPP
Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs
University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy
Baltimore, MD
External Consultant Activities, Advisory Panels, Speakers Bureaus, etc.: Saladex Biomedical Consultant, Lexi-Comp Consultant/Reviewer
Educational Grants, Research Grants or Contracts: FDA/University of Maryland CERSI, Maryland Behavioral Health Department, NIH
Archana R Jhawar, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacist
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy
Chicago, IL
Kayla Johnson, PharmD, BCPP, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Thompsons Station, TN
External Consultant Activities, Advisory Panels, Speakers Bureaus, etc.: Pharmacy Times Continuing Education Speaker
Michael McGuire, PharmD, BCPP
Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Belmont University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Nashville, TN
External Consultant Activities, Advisory Panels, Speakers Bureaus, etc.: Alkermes Inc.
Non-Financial Interests: AAPP Foundation Board of Directors
Kristen Nagy, PharmD, BCPP, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator-Psychiatry
Atrium Health Behavioral Health Center-Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Katie Smithwick, PharmD, BCPP, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Psychiatry
VCU Health
Richmond, VA
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Andreea Temelie, PharmD, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacist - Child/Adolescent Psychiatry
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
Kara Wong, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP
Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner, Mental Health
Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Minneapolis, MN
No Relevant Financial Relationships to Disclose
All relevant relationships have been mitigated.
View AAPP's Disclaimer and Disclosure Declarations
AAPP Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure: Faculty of this CE activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. The faculty have been informed of their responsibility to disclose to the audience if they will be discussing off-label or investigational uses (any uses not approved by the FDA) of products or devices. The faculty, planners, and American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists do not endorse the use of any product outside of the FDA labeled indications. Medical professionals should not utilize the procedures, products, or diagnosis techniques discussed during this activity without evaluation of their patient for contraindications or dangers of use.
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AAPP owns the copyright, is licensed or has received permissions for use of, or is otherwise permitted to use copyrighted materials within any CPE activity. Authors and speakers are required to obtain necessary copyright permissions for content in CPE activities. AAPP complies with copyright laws and regulations.
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View AAPP's Fair Balance and Integrity Statement
It is the policy of AAPP to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in continuing education activities. Those involved in the development of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education activity. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Fair balance is achieved through ongoing and thorough review of all materials produced by faculty, and all educational and advertising materials produced by supporting organizations, prior to educational offerings. Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by AAPP for any product or manufacturer identified.