WSU receives grant for mental health

June 21--Winona State University announced a new graduate certificate program to help with the region's mental health needs.

Winona State University was awarded a $75,000 grant to create graduate certificate program for an initial cohort of advanced practice registered nurses in psychiatric mental health beginning in summer 2017.

The grant, through HealthForce Minnesota will create a Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Collaborative to address mental health needs of communities throughout the state.

"As with all our education programs, we be working closely with practicing mental health professionals throughout Minnesota to make sure our graduates are prepared to help address this critical area of need," said Bill McBreen, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at WSU.

The one-year, full-time program is for nurses with graduate degrees in nursing and want to be prepared as advanced practice prescribers, according to a press release from WSU.

HealthForce Minnesota is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and is a collaborative partnership to increase the diversity of the healthcare workforce. The program will provide a MnSCU option for preparing additional qualified mental health primary care providers.

Interested clinical providers of psychiatric mental health care (PMH), experts in provision of graduate PMH nursing education, and community leaders in diverse communities concerned about mental health care are invited to contact Meiers at smeiers@winona.edu for an initial meeting being scheduled for June 2016.

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