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Barbara G. Wells, Pharm.D., FCCP, FASHP, CPNP Foundation President
Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy

The CPNP Foundation Board of Directors engaged in a six-month planning process which culminated in the adoption of a new Strategic Plan in February of 2014. Dr. Glen Stimmel led the Foundation Board members through this critically important process. Much of the previous strategic plan had been accomplished, and continuing success would be contingent on creation of a forward thinking and focused plan to guide the Foundation’s work through 2017 and to make the best possible use of limited financial resources and human capital. 

Fall 2013 was a busy time for the Board members as they did homework to research needs and opportunities in the current environment and engaged in discussions at monthly conference calls. A face-to-face meeting was held in Dallas in January 2014 to enable further intense discussions, prioritization and generation of a draft plan encompassing new vision and mission statements, goals and objectives. After fine-tuning at the February Board meeting, the new strategic plan was adopted. 

CPNP (as the parent organization) created the CPNP Foundation in 2009 to further evidence-based treatment through a broad spectrum of activities to address needs. The CPNP Foundation envisions a world in which individuals with psychiatric and neurologic disorders receive optimal treatment, live free of stigma, and achieve their full potential. The newly adopted mission focuses on the needs of individuals living with psychiatric and neurologic disorders, their families, and health professionals in general practice settings (especially community pharmacists). Clearly, the Foundation’s mission complements and furthers that of CPNP, which focuses on serving neuropsychiatric pharmacists and aspiring neuropsychiatric pharmacists and advancement of their reach and practice. 

The initiatives and objectives of the Foundation will be filtered through the lens of the individual living with psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Over the next four years, the Foundation will focus on accomplishment of four core goals:

  1. Advancing Best Treatments
  2. Communication
  3. Financial Health
  4. Board Governance

To advance best treatments, the Foundation will develop a guide for individuals with psychiatric and neurologic disorders and their families describing the care that should be expected from their pharmacy or pharmacist. The Foundation also seeks to serve as a resource for patients and caregivers in identifying and accessing pharmacy providers who deliver evidence-based care. To assist pharmacists in general practice settings, the Foundation seeks to promote best practice guidelines for serving individuals living with psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Additionally, the Foundation will develop education and training opportunities, tools, and resources for pharmacists in general practice settings to strengthen their communication skills, overall competence in serving individuals living with psychiatric and neurologic disorders, and their ability to reduce stigma. The Foundation will also create a competitive selection process to annually support small grants for interprofessional research projects involving pharmacy students or residents that target implementation of best practices or reduction of stigma. 

The Foundation also will create a free standing website with social media interconnectivity and publish a quarterly electronic newsletter to better communicate the Foundations plans, accomplishments, and needs, and how CPNP members and other donors can be a critical part of the Foundation’s success. In addition, a new award will be created to recognize a CPNP member who has excelled in an area central to the mission of the Foundation. 

Steps will be taken to develop a stable, growing, and diversified base to fund identified projects and initiatives. This will include developing a plan to hire additional staff support and diversifying and maturing fundraising efforts to include identifying key partners and developing programs to encourage major gifts and planned giving. 

In short, the newly adopted strategic plan provides a clear and focused pathway to guide the work of the Foundation in achieving its mission. As Board members implement the various initiatives and make progress toward their accomplishment, we promise to be accountable and to keep the CPNP membership apprised. Should you have questions at any time about any of the initiatives, or if you wish to comment on any of the work of the Foundation, please do not hesitate to contact Barbara Wells or any other member of the Foundation Board.

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