Course Description
Many psychiatric pharmacists incorporate psychotropic stewardship into their daily practice, yet transforming these efforts into a formal, sustainable psychotropic stewardship program can be challenging. This session will provide a practical roadmap for developing, implementing, and expanding a psychotropic stewardship program using a stepwise approach adaptable to a variety of practice settings. Participants will explore the core elements of successful stewardship programs and discuss strategies to grow programs based on available resources, staffing models, and organizational priorities. Whether you are launching a new initiative or looking to advance an existing program, this session will equip you with tools to build a sustainable program that enhances medication use and strengthens system-wide patient care.
Learning Objectives
- Outline the core elements that support psychotropic stewardship program structure.
- Describe a stepwise, “start low, go slow” approach to implementing a psychotropic stewardship program across diverse practice settings.
- Identify practical strategies to support the maturation and expansion of a psychotropic stewardship program based on available resources, staffing models, and organizational needs.
Target Audience
If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.
Faculty
View biographical information
April Fulbright, PharmD, BCPP, DPLA
Clinical Pharmacist, Vaya Partners
Vale, NC
Dr. April Fulbright is a clinical pharmacist at Vaya Partners, which is one of the three managed care organizations for North Carolina Medicaid Tailored Care Plans. She has been a clinical pharmacist for over 25 years and has maintained board-certification as a psychiatric pharmacist since 2007. In her current role, Dr. Fulbright provides patient care through comprehensive medication reviews and working collaboratively with health care teams/systems for NC Medicaid beneficiaries who live with mental illness, IDD and/or substance use disorders. Her prior work experience includes clinical roles at state psychiatric hospital and community ambulatory care settings as well as leadership roles at a community acute care hospital with behavioral health units.
Throughout her profession, Dr. Fulbright has focused on whole-person care, advocating for safe and effective health care for those often negatively impacted by the complexity of healthcare processes, specifically those living with mental illness. Her interest in patient safety and process improvement has allowed her to be involved in a wide variety of project initiatives. Some examples include coordinating drug utilization review services, supporting CPOE implementation and outpatient oncology EHR treatment plans, designing and moving inpatient pharmacy department, integrating clinical pharmacy services for inpatient psychiatric units, implementing pharmacist-led Annual Wellness Visits in primary care as well as numerous operational workflow process improvements and services. While these projects have spanned various healthcare practice settings, Dr. Fulbright is always considering, planning and factoring in the impact of these process initiatives on those living with mental illness.
Dr. Fulbright has been involved with AAPP, serving in the past as BCPP review course field test reviewer and abstract/awards reviewer. Over the past few years, Dr. Fulbright has been involved with the Psychiatric Stewardship Program and Toolkit Taskforce, resulting in publication of the Psychotropic Stewardship Advancing Patient Care and toolkit.
Course Requirements
To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:
- Register for this course.
- Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
- Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
- Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Dates: 4/7/2027-4/7/2030
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.0
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-##-###-###-P (Knowledge)
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.
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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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.