Cohen Veterans Network And Duke University School Of Nursing Join Forces To Educate Next Generation Of Psychiatric - Mental Health Nurse Practitioners

STAMFORD, Conn., July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) continues to advance the field of veteran's mental health by entering into a groundbreaking partnership with the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON). Together the organizations have received a federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant of $2M over four years to fund the collaboration.

Initially, this partnership will provide opportunities for up to six Duke University School of Nursing Psychiatric - Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students to gain invaluable experience through intensive clinical placements at Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics across the country. That number will grow to 10 students  in each of the next three years. Duke nursing students are also eligible for up to $20,000 in academic scholarships if selected for this program.

"There is a critical shortage of prescribing providers in mental health. In some areas, the access to qualified providers is so limited the focus is simply on availability. It is a secondary problem to think about the qualifications and training providers might have," said Crystal Shelton, CVN senior vice president  for Clinical Programs. "This collaboration is  significant because we will be able to immediately impact access to highly-trained providers and we share a mission with Duke to contribute to long-term workforce development for well-trained providers."

As part of the grant, DUSON will provide state of the art training in evidence-based psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic treatment that can be delivered across both the lifespan and continuum of care.  DUSONs signature foci on substance use disorder, telepsychiatry, vulnerable and underserved populations will well prepare them for their practicum experience at a Cohen Clinic. During the collaboration, Cohen Clinics will continue its mission of increasing access to highly-qualified providers, specifically targeting medically underserved regions across the country.

"This collaboration will enable our students to make a significant impact in the areas of the country where they are most needed," said Sean Convoy, Duke assistant professor and the project director. "This project will allow us to work with CVN professionals to continuously monitor and evaluate these students as they progress in their education."

SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network