CPNP President’s Column September 2021

Bob Haight, PharmD, BCPP—CPNP President

A year after my predecessor Marshall Cate’s first President’s Letter we are still dealing with the difficulties and stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the past year and a half, we have all had to adjust our professional and personal lives as we continue to help our patients. Throughout these challenging times, CPNP has continued to work diligently to expand patient access to psychiatric pharmacists and provide educational opportunities to our members.

CPNP developed and finalized our Strategic Plan in May of 2021. This four year strategic plan will guide our organization in many significant ways. Members of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee were immediately tasked with continuing their work as part of the Vision Paper Taskforce. They have been hard at work drafting a paper highlighting the vision we are working toward for the psychiatric pharmacy profession. This paper will be vetted through you as members in early 2022 and will additionally be reviewed with other external audiences and stakeholders.

Integration of psychiatric pharmacists in the treatment of substance use disorders is another cornerstone of the CPNP 2025 strategic plan. CPNP’s Substance Use Disorder Committee has aggressively pursued the development and offering of an ACPE and BCPP approved Summit on the treatment of co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. As a result, your peers will be bringing you 7.5 hours of highly relevant, practical information November 3^rd -4^th. Gain valuable education and show your support of this pilot program by registering soon to take advantage of pre-registration rates. All programming will be recorded for enduring access to ACPE and BCPP credit (BCPP exam closes August 3^rd, 2022).

Aligned with our goal to grow and enhance residencies and residency training, CPNP will be piloting its first Residency Showcase during CPNP Communities Week, Thursday, October 7^th and Friday, October 8^th. The residency showcase will allow PGY1 residents and pharmacy students to connect with RPDs via Zoom breakout rooms. If you are an RPD, remember to register by October 5^th. Information on participating programs and the schedule is available here.

The DEI Taskforce will be jump-starting their work in the middle of October. This time-limited task force will assist CPNP in identifying priorities and committee structure as we delve into this important area of our association and advocate for our patients. Look for information on this new committee and how to apply no later than November.

To assist our staff with our Strategic Plan and increased focus in Professional Affairs, Government Affairs, and member educational opportunities, the CPNP Board approved two new staff positions. Brenda Schimenti and our current staff will be busy during the next few months hiring and training these new additions to our CPNP team. Job descriptions will be posted at cpnp.org in October.

No doubt you are aware, but CPNP members are amazing and, even in these challenging days when schedules are tight, continue to contribute their talent to CPNP and the profession. For example:

• October 4^th-8^th is Communities Week featuring 3 days of peer-to-peer learning and information sessions.
• With elevated conversations about mental health and substance use in our country, members of the CPNP Board and Committees will be meeting virtually with congressional representatives and their staff members in late October to raise awareness of the importance of psychiatric pharmacists.
• Advocacy surrounding the Clozapine REMS is in full swing with CPNP taking the lead on a letter to the FDA and Manufacturers Group expressing concerns and challenges with the REMS changes and implementation date. Thanks to Past Presidents Ray Love and Megan Ehret who authored the letter and helped to secure several of the influential signing organizations. Join us on Wednesday, October 6^th during Communities Week to learn more about the status of this advocacy and the changes to the REMS.
• Planning is well underway for our 25^th anniversary year in 2022 as well as CPNP 2022 to be held April 24^th-27^th in San Antonio, TX. Kudos to our programming and recertification committees who are assembling an impressive slate of topics and speakers to debut to you in November.

Thanks for your continued efforts on the front lines as we work to take care of our patients living with mental illness and substance use disorders, even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with you to make headway on our numerous goals and to seeing you in San Antonio in April of 2022!