I am so thrilled to be writing this first column to each of you as the 21st President of CPNP. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, your continued work with CPNP, and for providing me the opportunity to serve the organization in such a meaningful way. I am truly humbled to help lead CPNP as we continue to push the profession of psychiatric pharmacy forward. Throughout the next year, I hope to bring you news of activities and advancements the organization is working on to ensure patients with mental illness have access to the great work you are doing on a daily basis.
Let me step back a moment and take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am a graduate of the University of Toledo where I received my BS and Pharm.D. I completed my Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency at the Louis Stokes VAMC, under the direction of Matthew Fuller. I then went on to complete a Psychopharmacology and Pharmacogenomics Fellowship at Nova Southeastern University, under the direction of Gary Levin. I became a CPNP member in 2003 and was board certified in 2007. I have served on the Board of Directors previously as Member at Large, and I have served on many different committees including a long stint as a Review Course Editor that continues today. I am currently an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy with a practice site at Spring Grove State Hospital. I also have the privilege of working with the State of Maryland Medicaid Program in evaluating antipsychotic use in the state. Over the course of my career, I have also had the opportunity to work for the Department of Defense and the University of Connecticut. Each of these positions has allowed me to learn from many of the experts in our field.
As we begin a new year, I would like to thank the outgoing members of our Board of Directors: Chris Thomas, Leigh Anne Nelson, and Marshall Cates. CPNP is lucky to have had them working so hard for us these past few years. Their guidance, insight, expertise, and passion will be missed.
Additionally, I would like to welcome new Board Members Lisa Goldstone, Erica Crouse, and Karen Moeller. I am very eager to get the year started and work with each of them on continuing the mission of CPNP. We have so many exciting opportunities and initiatives in the coming year, including our continued work with our government affairs consultants, District Policy Group. In the past year I have had the pleasure of participating in several Hill Briefings, Congressional Visits, and Pharmacy Organization Leadership meetings to advocate for CPNP and psychiatric pharmacy. Those opportunities are only continuing to multiply.
There are several recent accomplishments I want to recognize as further featured in this edition of CPNP Perspectives. A special thanks to James Gasper and Bethany DiPaula for their work on our first Substance Use Disorder toolkit on Alcohol Use Disorder. I would also like to say thank you and congratulations to Senior Editors Amy Vandenberg and Clint Ross, Coordinating Editor Greg Payne, as well as current and past editors of the Mental Health Clinician for bringing the MHC to where it is today. With the official indexing of the journal in PubMed Central, CPNP owes all a debt of gratitude for hitting this impressive milestone. Additionally, I would like to thank the USP 800 Task Force led by Ann Richards for their work in creating a comprehensive, quality USP 800 product to launch yet this fall.
Our organization is continuing to grow and make connections. But we also care deeply about the connections between CPNP members. I highly encourage members to reach out and network with each other via our numerous communities, the CPNP listserve, and via the Board and staff. There will be over 20 lunch and learns and 8 journal clubs starting up again this fall and we hope all of you take advantage of this great member-to-member resource.
Lastly, I want members to know that I want to hear your feedback, comments, and questions throughout the year. I can be reached at board@cpnp.org. I also encourage to stay connected with us via facebook and twitter.
I am looking forward to another tremendous year with CPNP!!!
Megan J. Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP