Certifications

I have been a practicing CPNP for 26 years and recently added the title of a Certified Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist. 

Nursing professionals are heeding the call to improve access to emotional and cognitive health care for children, adolescents, and young adults. Despite the rising numbers of youth experiencing developmental, behavioral, and/or mental health (DBMH) conditions, only about 20% receive care from specialized mental health providers.  Nearly 2/3 gets little or no assistance.  

The shortage of providers means long wait times or sometimes no access to care when kids need it most. 

The Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS) was developed by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board to assist with this shortage specifically.  The PMHS builds upon the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role to provide advanced assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of common developmental, behavioral, and mental health concerns in children, adolescents, and young adults and can be a viable solution to addressing the gaps in care.  

Some of the more common pediatric conditions that a PMHS  work with are  depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, sleep disorders, feeding and eating disorders, tic disorders, bipolar disorder and more.

They can provide therapeutic services that include early recognition, intervention, and active monitoring as well as appropriate referral for complex disorders.  Services provided by the PMHS are evidence-based and include the use of developmental, behavioral, and mental health screening tools, as well as psychotherapeutic, educational, and psychopharmacological therapies and interventions.  The PMHS coordinates and collaborates care with other professionals to enhance quality of behavioral health services for children, adolescents, young adults, and their families/caregivers.  

What are the Steps to PMHS CERTIFICATION?

YOU MUST PASS THE PMHS CERTIFICATION EXAM

The Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS) exam validates the added knowledge, skills, and expertise of eligible Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in

the early identification, intervention, and collaboration of care for children and adolescents with mental and behavioral health concerns.

IN ORDER TO SIT FOR THE EXAM, THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS ARE NEEDED 

1. Licensure & Certification Requirement  Current, active, unencumbered APRNcense issued by a US state, US territory, or Canada, and current certification as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the role and population foci of one of these certifications:

Primary Care PNP (CPNP or PPCNP-BC)

FNP (FNP-BC or FNP-C)

Child/Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health CNS (PMHCNS-BC)

Psychiatric-Mental Health NP [formerly Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC)]

1. Education Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university that offers a ACEN or CCNE accredited nursing master's or doctoral degree, or a post-master's certificate from an accredited college or university, with one of the following concentrations: 

Primary Care PNP

FNP

Psychiatric-Mental Health NP

Child/Adolescent Psychiatric CNS

Child/Adolescent Mental Health CNS

If you don’t have a master’s degree or above in nursing but you meet the following requirements, you may still apply if currently certified and licensed in the role/population foci described under #1 above and if educated prior to 1992 when a master’s degree in an advanced nursing practice role was not required.

1. Practice Requirements

A minimum of 2,000 hours of pediatric developmental, behavioral, and mental health (DBMH) clinical practice experience (with or without preceptor) while holding an APRN license in the past 5 years 

1.  CE or Coarse Requirements

Either 30 hours of pediatric DBMH CE or 1 graduate level pediatric DBMH course of at least 2 credits in the past 5 years

Once you have completed the above and have loaded in required information, you can apply for the exam:

Exam cost: $300 - Includes $130 nonrefundable registration fee. 

You have to either go to a selected Prometric Testing Centers or , now you can even sign up for Live Remote Proctoring 

The exam is 2.5 hours and asks 150 multiple-choice questions based on categories in the content outline, an essential study reference.

Candidates also receive unofficial, preliminary notification of pass/fail status immediately after completing the computer-based exam.

If you pass, you'll receive a wall certificate to promote your PMHS credential.

Recertification is annual for the PMHS earning certification AND 

you will enter a 7-year ReCErt program, and have to document 15 contact hours of activity annually as well as 30 psychopharmacology contact hours during the 7-year ReCErt program.

Again, the Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS) was developed by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board to assist with this shortage specifically.  The PMHS builds upon the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role to provide advanced assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of common developmental, behavioral, and mental health concerns in children, adolescents, and young adults and can be a viable solution to addressing the gaps in care.  

 Some of the more common pediatric conditions that a PMHS  work with are  depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, sleep disorders, feeding and eating disorders, tic disorders, bipolar disorder and more, 

Again, my name is Valerie Nolan and I am the owner of Tri Health and Wellness  and I am also a Certified Pediatric Mental Health Specialist. 

 If you have a child that needs any of the services I mentioned, please call   585-210-8440 or Visit www.trihealthandwellness.info to book an appointment today. 

 If you know of another pediatric patient who needs help, please share my contact.