Join us in New Orleans for ISPN 2025 Annual Conference,
March 19-22, 2025
Advancing Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing:
Innovation, Practice, and Culture
Submit your research to present at the Conference!
Call for Abstracts is now open, deadline is August 30, 202
Submit your research today!
Sponsorship, Exhibit, and Product Theater Opportunities are available!
Find out more here!
A Message from ISPN President, Barbara Peterson
June is recognized as Pride Month around the world, and honors the Stonewall riots of June, 1969. In the US, Juneteenth is also celebrated each year on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the US. Many communities take the opportunity to celebrate these milestones of humanity to educate and amplify the call for greater racial, gender and sexual equity. I’m grateful for both of these yearly reminders of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness that shape and define our civic society. Likewise, psychiatric nursing practice and education has been shaped and defined by leaders and professional members who are publicly and unapologetically committed to combating racism, gender and sexual discrimination, and all other bigotry.
Standing for equity, celebrating diversity, fostering social justice, and belonging are long-standing commitments of ISPN. Our leaders and members have a purposeful and impactful history that has shaped and defined our identity as a global leader in psychiatric-mental health nursing. In 2022-2023, the ISPN board of directors revisited our value statements and again confirmed our commitment to “Respect equity, diversity, inclusiveness, social justice, and value pluralism”. Since its inception, ISPN members have lived out these values in their professional practice, teaching, community organizing, political advocacy, and social volunteerism.
If you haven’t yet read the position statements published by the ISPN Policy Committee, you can find them on the ISPN website (Policy-activities). Also, if you have not yet read two articles that highlight ISPN value and call to social justice, I encourage you to take a moment to read the following two articles:
Today, in the month that celebrates diversity and equity, I trust these seven goals taken from these articles align with your guide for practice and service.
- Advocate for access to and attainment of high-quality mental health services for diverse individuals, families, and communities.
- Provide direct mental health care services with cultural humility and cultural-congruence to diverse individuals, families, and communities.
- Advocate for and engage in mental health care research aimed at eliminating disparities and intervene in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner with individuals, families, and communities.
- Participate in policy initiatives that promote availability of access to quality mental health care services to diverse individuals, families, and communities.
- Support initiatives to increase the number of mental health providers from diverse backgrounds.
- Advocate for primary prevention programs that are sensitive to the needs of diverse individuals, families, and communities.
- Advocate for research related to the efficacy of integrating mental health care services within primary care settings.
I am buoyed by ISPN’s history of public advocacy and value-centric leadership. I’m grateful for past and present members of the ISPN Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and deeply respect the insight and wisdom our current DEI co-chairs, Dr. Frieda Outlaw and Dr. Shaquita Starks.
This month, and throughout this year, let’s consider how we will continue to live out ISPN values centered in our commitment to respect equity, diversity, inclusiveness, social justice and value pluralism.
ISPN Welcomes Barb Peterson as its New President!
The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) announces Dr. Barbara Peterson, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, FNAP, was inducted as its new board President during its annual conference held April 3-6 in Providence, RI. Peterson succeeds Shawn Gallagher, PhD, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FNP-BC, who served as President in 2023, and has served on the ISPN Board since 2019.
She has served in a variety of roles in ISPN, including the conference planning committee, the DEI committee, the policy committee, and the Board of Directors. In her role as president, Peterson says, "I am excited to continue working on ISPN strategies and initiatives and supporting psychiatric nursing around the globe.”
Peterson is Clinical Professor with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She is the Specialty Coordinator of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Doctor of Nursing Practice (PMHDNP) program and the Director of Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity for the School of Nursing. Peterson’s service leadership combines her academic and personal commitment to fostering a just and inclusive school climate, promoting health equity and mental health and wellness.
As a champion of global mental health and education, Peterson has traveled with students to Brazil, Iceland, and Cuba. Her global service includes working with a woman-run health clinic in a squatter settlement near Guatemala City, Guatemala; teaching with One Health Workforce in Nairobi, Kenya; and teaching mental health first aid to first responders in Arusha, Tanzania.
In her 25-year career as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, she has practiced in multiple psychiatric care settings, mostly serving children and families in safety-net clinics. She received her MSN from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and her PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit. She has been the PI of HRSA and Minnesota Department of Health projects to increase the number of psychiatric APRNs ready to work in underserved rural and urban areas of Minnesota.
