Moving Forward Together 

The past few years have been a whirlwind for all of us as we navigated the world during a pandemic, a time of great social change, and a period of upheaval in a fragile health care system. The key word in that sentence is we. We navigated it together—the Foundation, our affiliated parent organization, AAPP, and you, our donors.

In 2022 we continued to support research grants and students interested in psychiatric pharmacy. However, we also deepened our commitment to the future of the mental health workforce by supporting the AAPP Residency Showcase and research informing the critical pieces needed for a robust AAPP Employer Resource Center intended to encourage and support employers in adding psychiatric pharmacists and PGY2 psychiatric residents to their health care systems.

We remain committed to deepening our impact as we continuously strive to meet our vision of “A world where individuals with mental health disorders receive optimal care because psychiatric pharmacists are an essential member of the health care team.” We thank you for helping to advance the AAPP Foundation in 2022 and we look forward to continuing to join forces with you in 2023!

Christopher Thomas, PharmD, BCPP 2022-2023 AAPP Foundation President

2022 Impact

Making An Impact: On Campus and In the Community

The AAPP Foundation started the Collegiate Chapter Impact Grant program in 2021 to support student activities on their campuses and impact communities. One of three grant recipients in the inaugural grant cycle was awarded to the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

The chapter was awarded $4000 to complete their project titled “Access to Inclusive and Culturally Sensitive Mental Healthcare in Pharmacy Students and Residents.” Student investigators included Esha Thakkar, Shana Katz, Cat Liu, Kalynn Hosea, Katie Marks, and Sarah Hall. Dr. Ina Liu and Dr. Suzanne Harris served as the faculty advisors for the project.

The student researchers identified a gap in mental health access and treatment within our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) population as one of their main reasons for completing their project. Additionally, there was a lack of evidence to help guide institutions of higher learning on how to address the culturally sensitive mental health needs for BIPOC health professional students. The project included the convening of multiple focus groups for BIPOC pharmacy students and residents to promote discussions in four key areas: (1) perceived barriers to access mental healthcare, (2) whether social identities influence the decision to seek mental health care, (3) what is working well within the school/residency program to support mental wellness for BIPOC pharmacy trainees, and (4) recommended areas of improvement to support mental wellness among BIPOC pharmacy trainees.

Based on the feedback received from the focus groups, the collegiate chapter then collected and promoted culturally sensitive mental health resources from BIPOC pharmacy trainees. To date, the impact of this project has led to the addition of culturally sensitive resources to the School’s Wellbeing website which includes a list of culturally affirming therapists. This project also led to the development of targeted recommendations to be added to the School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive (DEI) initiatives to help support mental wellness among BIPOC trainees.

The AAPP Foundation was proud to support this project and to support AAPP Collegiate Chapters across the country through the Student Chapter Impact Grant program!

Financial Forward Mission

Strategic decisions and staff support from AAPP allowed us to support our core mission areas: research, scholarship, and practitioner development.

Setting the Example as Donors and Legacy Partners

Foundation donors and Legacy Partners, Gary Levin, PharmD, BCPP, FCCP, and Toya Bowles, PharmD, MS, BCPP, have set an amazing example of leadership and generosity. We caught up with Gary and Toya to learn more about their reasons for supporting the AAPP Foundation.

1. How do you envision the AAPP Foundation making a difference in your lives as psychiatric pharmacists and/or the lives of patients and caregivers?

"The Foundation is supporting student pharmacists to attend AAPP meetings which will ultimately build our base of members and much-needed psychiatric pharmacists. AAPPF also supports grants to investigators. The funds that we have bequeathed to the Foundation have been specifically designated to students and post-PharmD trainees for research."

2. What prompted you to become Legacy Partners, and what motivates you to be a consistent supporter of the Foundation?

"Gary was an AAPP Founding Member and its first elected President and Toya became a member in our second or third year of existence, so both are long-standing consistent members. Gary has been involved in many committees at different times including the AAPP Past President Advisory Board. Toya has been involved in several AAPP committees and recently joined the 2023 Board of Directors for the Foundation. In our opinion, AAPP is the only home for psychiatric pharmacists and those students and trainees striving to become psychiatric pharmacists."

3. Is there anything else you want to share?

"We both feel it is important for all members to support the Foundation financially. We understand that everyone has families and other organizations in their wills, but just giving 1% or more to the AAPP Foundation can go a long way over many years. It is very clear that AAPP and the AAPP Foundation will be here as long as there are psychiatric pharmacists and a need to improve the quality of life of people with mental illness. We appreciate the opportunity to share our views regarding the AAPP Foundation. Please do not hesitate to reach out to either of us if you have questions about where to begin."

Will you join Dr. Bowles and Dr. Levin in supporting research, scholarship, and practitioner development?

Through kind gifts like yours, the AAPP Foundation can continue to advance psychiatric pharmacy, and ultimately, the care of those living with mental illness.

 

Donations can be made online at aappf.org/pledge or by mail to AAPP Foundation, 8055 O Street, Ste. S113, Lincoln, NE 68510

Recognizing Our 2022 Donors

The following individuals and organizations made gifts to support the AAPP Foundation’s mission between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022:

2022 Board of Directors

We thank the 2022 AAPP Foundation Board of Directors for their service.

	Christopher Thomas, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP President Clinical Pharmacist in Psychiatry Chillicothe VAMC Chillicothe, OH
	Michael McGuire, PharmD, BCPP Past President Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Belmont University Nashville, TN
	Brenda K. Schimenti Secretary AAPP Foundation 055 O Street, Ste. S113 Lincoln, NE 68510 (402) 476-1677 bschimenti@cpnp.org
	Steven C. Stoner, PharmD, BCPP Treasurer Associate Dean for Student Affairs Clinical Professor University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Pharmacy Kansas City, MO
	Marshall Cates, PharmD, BCPP, FASHP, FCCP AAPP Liaison, January-June 2022 Professor of Pharmacy Practice Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy Birmingham, AL
	Robert Haight, PharmD, BCPP AAPP Liaison, July-December 2022 Clinical Pharmacist | Forensic Services Saint Peter Regional Treatment Center (SPRTC) Minnesota Department of Human Services Saint Peter, MN
	Azita Alipour, PharmD, BCPP, BCGP Assistant Professor Marshall B. Ketchum University College of Pharmacy Fullerton, CA
	Mary C. Borovicka, PharmD, BCPP Clinical Pharmacist-Dept of Psychiatry MetroHealth Medical Center Cleveland, OH
	Cynthia Kirkwood, PharmD, BCPP Professor and Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
	Monica Mathys, PharmD, BCPP Associate Professor Texas Tech Health Sciences Dallas, TX
	Susie H. Park, PharmD, BCPP Clinical Pharmacist Behavioral Health Riverside University Health System Riverside, CA
	Chris Paxos, PharmD, BCPP, BCPS, BCGP Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown, OH
	Paul L. Price, PharmD, BCPP Senior Associate Dean; Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Psychiatry Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions Omaha, NE