Glen L. Stimmel, PharmD, BCPP
CPNP Foundation Board Member
2014 was a true defining moment for CPNP and the CPNP Foundation. So why, in the 16 year history of CPNP and the 5 year history of the Foundation, is 2014 such a crucial year? As you have recently read in the May issue of The CPNP Perspective, each entity finalized their new Strategic Plans (CPNP Strategic Plan; CPNP Foundation Strategic Plan). Except for the committee chairs, elected officers and board members who are responsible for implementing the strategic plans, it is probably difficult for most CPNP members to get very excited about strategic planning. But you should be excited. For the first time, there is now a very clear focus, and a separation of purpose, for these two entities that the CPNP membership should understand and appreciate.
In CPNP’s first dozen years, a core group of no more than 100 psychiatric pharmacists grew to well over a thousand psychiatric and neurologic pharmacists, dozens of psychiatric pharmacy residency programs, and several hundred student members. The complexity of supporting superb educational programs, recertification for BCPP pharmacists, a network of committees, an exceptional list serve for members, publishing our own online journal, engaging in governmental and professional relations (to name a few), required a re-assessment of CPNP priorities and the related role and purpose of the CPNP Foundation as strategic planning progressed. One key issue that needed to be answered was which activities should reside within CPNP, and which activities belong within the Foundation’s purview.
A danger in creating a separate Foundation is that the CPNP membership could view the Foundation as not being an integral part of what CPNP members care about. But it is important to stress that the Foundation is a partner entity of CPNP, was created by CPNP members, and its creation will enable our specialty to achieve even more than what CPNP alone can achieve. CPNP members should care equally about what both CPNP and its Foundation seek to achieve. Reading the new strategic plans of each should reinforce that reality. The strategic plans now provide a clear focus and separation of priority for each. While CPNP’s mission focuses more precisely on neuropsychiatric pharmacists and aspiring neuropsychiatric pharmacists, your Foundation seeks to address the needs of our patients as well as health professionals in general practice settings (especially community pharmacists). Thus the mission of CPNP and the mission of the Foundation are different. But every CPNP member should be equally passionate and supportive of both of these different but complementary missions. We all care about the continued development of our specialty colleagues and supporting the creation of new talent within our membership. But we also care equally about our patients, and we should care about sharing our expertise with our general practice pharmacist colleagues who in fact have the most contact with our patients. As you read the CPNP and Foundation strategic plans, do take note of the many initiatives that are directed toward our peers, residents and students, our patients, and our community pharmacy colleagues. It is the hope of the Foundation Board that all CPNP members will recognize the value in supporting YOUR Foundation’s initiatives that will primarily benefit our patients. The Foundation Board is extremely grateful to the many CPNP members who have contributed to the Foundation. We hope that with a more clear understanding of the patient-focused Foundation priorities and initiatives, that support will continue and we will be able to encourage other CPNP members to become Foundation supporters as well.