2026 APNA President’s Report
Dear Colleagues,
APNA President Allyson Matney Neal
It is a pleasure to share APNA’s 2026 Annual Activity Report with you. This report reflects an incredible year of contributions from psychiatric-mental health nurses whose knowledge, experience, and commitment move our profession forward.
APNA’s core ideology is to be the unifying voice of psychiatric-mental health nursing. This year, the APNA Board of Directors reviewed and updated our Strategic Direction, incorporating member feedback to ensure that our priorities reflect your needs and our evolving profession.
The following highlights reflect just the tip of the iceberg of what we have accomplished on our journey to improve wellness and advance care for ourselves, those in our care, and our communities!
Leading as the Expert Voice for PMH Nursing
APNA member expertise informed updated professional guidance, including revised position papers on nicotine and tobacco use disorder treatment, mental health as the foundation for whole health, and nursing licensure, accreditation, certification, and education; as well as a new checklist for PMH nurses involved in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The Joint Commission also referenced the APNA Seclusion & Restraint Standards of Practice in its revised behavioral health requirements, a key indicator of how APNA is leading our field.
APNA continued to represent PMH nursing in national policy and professional discussions. APNA signed onto 33 federal advocacy and policy letters, provided feedback on proposed federal data-reporting changes, and joined efforts to secure recognition of nursing as a professional degree. Our continued participation in the Nursing Community Coalition and other national initiatives brings PMH nursing’s expert voice into conversations that influence policy, workforce priorities, and clinical practice.
Through the Addressing Key Threats to Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Well-Being report, APNA shared recommendations for organizational change. Additionally, the Restoring Workplace Safety Task Force is in the process of developing resources for supporting PMH nurses following incidents of violence.
Serving as the Indispensable Resource for Members
APNA continues to respond to members’ professional development needs across career stages, settings, and populations. APNA earned reaccreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center through November 2029, a key part of our commitment to quality nursing continuing professional development. Updated programs released this year included the Motivational Interviewing course, free to members, and the One-Hour Face-to-Face Assessment training, with new opportunities to apply the latest evidence and person-centered approaches to clinical situations.
Participant evaluations demonstrate the practical value of key APNA education: For example, 99% of APNA Suicide Prevention Certificate Program participants report greater confidence and competence in working with patients at risk for suicide. Likewise, the APNA Transitions in Practice Certificate program, which provides foundation information for RNs, continues to be adopted by organizations across the country as an orientation tool. Looking forward, the Board approved the creation of a new transitions to PMHNP practice certificate program, which will build on the education provided by nursing degree programs to assist PMHNPs in applying the knowledge and skills foundational to advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing care.
Our national conferences continued to bring the profession together to exchange ideas, learn from emerging evidence, and connect with colleagues. The 2026 APNA Clinical Psychopharmacology Institute had record attendance, as does the APNA 40th Annual Conference!
APNA continues to provide key opportunities for members to come together around shared areas of passion, as well. Initiatives this year include the creation of task forces on seclusion and restraint, staffing inpatient units, and care of detained persons, as well as re-envisioning the APNA Council for Mental Health Advocacy to better align with member needs.
Fostering Strategic Alliances with Diverse Stakeholders
Our relationships with nursing organizations, government agencies, and mental health stakeholders helped bring PMH nursing expertise to national initiatives. APNA worked with the American Nurses Association and Health Resources and Services Administration to connect nurses with information about federal workforce programs. We also ensured PMH nurse representation in national stakeholder efforts addressing topics such as workplace safety, nurse practitioner education, and psychedelics.
Partnerships also helped make evidence-based education available to more nurses. Through the Opioid Response Network and Providers Clinical Support System, APNA offered free education addressing emerging opioid threats, stimulant misuse in adolescents, and opioid use disorder during pregnancy and postpartum. These collaborations expand opportunities to address pressing clinical issues while connecting PMH nursing expertise with the work of other national efforts.
Driving the Integration of PMH Nursing Research, Practice, and Education
Addressing issues that affect psychiatric-mental health nurses and the populations we serve requires bringing together research, practice, and education. Through the APNA Research Grants Program, APNA funded a 2026 study examining perinatal depression and its relationship to maternal-infant interactions and attachment in marginalized populations. The Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association further supports the exchange of research and clinical knowledge through a special issue on suicide prevention, manuscript-development opportunities, and JAPNA Author Awards recognizing contributions to health equity, quality improvement, and original research.
APNA also continues to build the evidence needed to inform workforce decisions. APNA launched its second comprehensive PMH nursing workforce survey in September, gathering perspectives from RNs and APRNs across roles and settings. This initiative provides policymakers, educators, and health care leaders with a more complete picture of the profession’s contributions, challenges, and needs.
Much of this work begins with members who identify a need, contribute their expertise, share what they are learning, or support a colleague. Thank you for the many ways you contribute to APNA and psychiatric-mental health nursing. It is a privilege to serve alongside you as we continue this important work.
With pride and gratitude,
Allyson Matney Neal, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, PNP
APNA President
