For patients with psychiatric and neurologic illness, there are many barriers to accessing optimal care, including (to name a few) lack of information, limited financial resources, inadequate transportation, and stigma. The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) Foundation envisions a world where individuals with mental health disorders receive optimal care because psychiatric pharmacists are an essential member of the health care team. The mission of the AAPP Foundation is to advance the psychiatric pharmacy profession by supporting research, scholarship, and practitioner development.
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In collaboration with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) the Foundation conducted research which showed that while many patients value their professional relationship with their pharmacist, many others do not have such a relationship. Those without such a relationship may be missing the opportunity to benefit from the professional services that pharmacists can offer. For example, not all pharmacists provide privacy for consultations, medication information and education, or monitoring of medications. The Foundation has developed a What You Should Expect from Your Pharmacist - A Guide for Patients with Psychiatric Disorders and their Families. The guide describes the care that should be expected from pharmacists to ensure that patients can benefit from the professional services that pharmacists can provide. |
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Members of AAPP strongly believe that patients with mental illness and their caregivers should have access to readily understandable information about medications commonly taken by individuals with mental illnesses. To that end, AAPP members have developed and regularly update Medication Fact Sheets in cooperation with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). |