I am excited to be writing this first column as your new President. I am honored to serve in this capacity and thank you for your continued support and dedication to CPNP. I am looking forward to this upcoming year as we continue to build our relationships with other organizations and government entities as well as focus on what makes our specialty unique and valuable. My plan is to keep our membership informed and to report on the great work of our members as we continue to promote our profession.
I would like to start by telling you a little bit about myself. I began my career in behavioral health over 20 years ago after receiving my Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Illinois State University. In my work as a psychotherapist, I never had the opportunity to work with a psychiatric pharmacist so did not initially realize the valuable role these health care providers play as part of the treatment team for persons with psychiatric disorders. But when I saw my patients struggle with medication-related issues, I realized I needed to pursue a degree in pharmacy rather than a PhD as originally intended. I obtained my Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of Arizona and later returned in a faculty role which I held for over six years. I became a member of CPNP in 2010 and became board certified in psychiatric pharmacy in 2013. As a member of CPNP, I have had the opportunity to serve on multiple committees and task forces including the Government Affairs Council, the Professional Affairs Task Force, Program Committee, Pharmacist Position Paper Workgroup, and the Medication Education Groups Ad Hoc Task Force. I have also been involved with several of the communities and have authored BCPP recertification/review and CE products offered through CPNP.
Throughout my involvement in CPNP, I have met many colleagues including a few who are now my co-workers. In 2017, I began my faculty position at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy where I am currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and the Associate Director of Residency Programs. In this role I am fortunate to interact with CPNP members on a regular basis including two of our CPNP Past Presidents, Glen Stimmel and Julie Dopheide, as well as fellow CPNP members Susie Park and David Dadiomov.
I would like to thank our outgoing members of the Board of Directors for their service - Deanna Kelly, Benjamin Chavez, and Amy Werremeyer. Their contributions have been invaluable in helping guide our organization. We will miss having them on the Board. I would also like to welcome our new Board members – Marshall Cates, Tawny Smith, and Heidi Wehring. I am excited to have them join us in pursuing the vision of CPNP.
We have an exciting year ahead of us as we continue to branch out and join in efforts that promote the value of psychiatric pharmacists. Our Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Council developed 5 new toolkit resources in 2018 and 2019 that have been shared profession wide and offer practical information on topics ranging from alcohol use disorder to benzodiazepine taper. Additionally, the Council has been hard at work developing an opioid use disorder learning series expected to launch in late 2019. This unique product is the first of its kind--a comprehensive training program geared toward pharmacists in the area of OUD.
Professional affairs activities have been another focal point for CPNP this year. The Professional Affairs Committee was instrumental in developing the CPNP infographic entitled, Psychiatric Pharmacists: Improving Access, Outcomes and Costs, as well as seven practice profiles showcasing the clinical work of some of our members. The practice profiles are anticipated to launch by mid-August and will be used in our professional and government affairs efforts as we work to meet your number 1 priority of promoting our profession to others. A big thank you to our members who have worked on and are featured in these profiles.
CPNP continues to participate in other activities related to our role as psychiatric pharmacists in health care. Executive Director Brenda Schimenti recently joined other pharmacy associations in attending the American Pharmacists Association Well-Being Summit as an observer organization. CPNP is also being represented by Tawny Smith on the Gray Matters Coalition, which is focused on mental health issues related to the geriatric population.
When I reflect back to what has been most valuable to me in terms of my relationship with CPNP, it always comes back to the connections I have with other members who make this organization so great. It is my goal as your President to ensure CPNP continues to be member-driven and member-aligned. With this in mind, I welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback. I can be reached at either board@cpnp.org or through my USC email, lwgoldst@usc.edu. Also please do not hesitate to introduce yourself if you see me at meetings. It is a priority for me to get to know our members and to learn which direction you wish to see CPNP take in the future. And don’t forget to connect with us on social media, easily accomplished by updating your networking preferences at cpnp.org.
Looking forward to this upcoming year!
Lisa W. Goldstone, MS, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP