AIMS: To characterize the future Psychiatric Mental Health (PMH) Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) workforce in light of the high demand for psychiatric providers in all aspects of mental health service delivery. Over the past 20 years, there has been significant growth of the PMH APRN workforce, a provider group capable of addressing mental health provider shortages. However, continued growth may be limited by anticipated retirements and traditional volume of graduations from PMH nurse practitioner (NP) programs. Optimum utilization of PMH APRNs in service delivery systems and State workforce planning may also be impeded by their frequent mischaracterized in federal reports and mental health workforce studies. METHODS: Based on a review of the literature, this discussion paper evaluates trends related to PMH NP programs and graduates, anticipated retirements of current PMH ARPNs, facilitators and barriers to increasing the PMH APRN workforce, and opportunities and threats to workforce development. RESULTS: The PMH APRN workforce faces significant challenges owing to barriers and facilitators to growth of the specialty. These factors conspire to limit the supply of PMH APRNs at a time when they are needed to compensate for declining numbers of providers in the United States, particularly practicing psychiatrists. CONCLUSION: Recommendations are forwarded as to how best shape the educational pipeline to meet the current and emerging needs of American citizens for quality mental health care.
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