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Collaborating for Mental Health Nursing
World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization
The collaborating center for Mental Health Nursing at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing was designated on July 31, 2002.
The Center, one of two designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to focus on activities related to mental health nursing in the world, focuses on nursing and interdisciplinary work in the Pan American Health Organization regions of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Members of the Collaborating Center:
- Jeffrey V. Johnson, PhD,
Director
E-mail Jeff - Ann Koons, PMHNP/CNS-BC, Associate Director
E-mail Ann - Yolanda Ogbolu, MSN, NNP, Global Health Fellow
E-mail Yolanda - Marianne Mcneil, RN; Research Assistant
E-mail Marianne
WHO Goals and Terms of Reference
- Collaborate with colleagues in the PAHO/WHO regions to strengthen the human resources in Mental Health nursing by expanding the base of mental health nursing education and practice.
- To improve the quality of care provided by mental health personnel through human resources competencies and standards.
- Participate with nursing colleagues in the Americas in developing community education programs for the promotion of mental health, the prevention and clinical management of substance use and other mental/behavioral problems.
- Promote and share collaborative research methods across the PAHO/WHO region focused on workforce and workplace for the promotion of mental health in the Americas.
Activities Focusing on these Goals
- Finalizing the Annotated Bibliography and Case Studies of Best Practices, to be published by PAHO. This effort involved participants from The United States and Latin American countries in nursing and other healthcare disciplines to identify best practices for mental health nursing.
- Completed a database of mental health programs and nurse experts in the WHO/PAHO region.
- Completed a pilot study with Pan American Commission for Control of Drug Abuse (CICAD) and 23 universities in the United States and Latin America on women and violence. Presented preliminary findings at various international conferences. A final report was prepared.
- Completed a screening instrument in Spanish in mental health and substance abuse for youth and pilot tested it. Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
- Preparing a chapter on sources of funding for international and minority researchers in English and Spanish. The English version was subsequently published as part of a book.
- Conducted training on how to conduct research groups and obtain research funding for international audiences.
- Conducted training for pre-doctoral students on how to obtain research funding.
- Conducted a workshop on challenges of being a Hispanic researcher at National Hispanic Science Network, focus on both domestic and international substance abuse researchers.
- Began a project in El Salvador to evaluate substance abuse and mental health services for youth, adults and gang members.
- Sponsored the formation of Nurses for Global Health – an international student nursing organization active in promoting education and awareness of global health issues among nursing faculty and students.
- Organized and participated in a University of Maryland multi-disciplinary global health network, an initiative funded by an NIH Fogarty grant.
Centers with Whom We've Collaborated:
University of Panama School of Nursing; University of Misiones, Posadas, Argentina; University of Austral, Argentina; University of Sao Paulo, Ribeiro Preto, Brazil; National University of San Marcos, Peru: Asociacion Colombiana de Facultades de Enfermeria.
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