Health Equity Reimagined
Solutions in Action: Spotlight
Mental Health Access for Children a Top Priority for Assistant Dean
When families need immediate psychiatric care for their children, many are told to take their children to the emergency department or wait until a specialized provider can be available. Anne Derouin is working to change that by arming more pediatric primary care providers with the skills to intervene and enhance access to care in under-resourced settings such as schools and rural communities.
“Interestingly, DUSON is the only program in the U.S. that has such a training,” said Derouin, who has taught at the Duke University School of Nursing since 2011. “There are two other self-guided virtual training opportunities for practitioners, but Duke is currently the only academic setting offering this training.”
Anne Derouin
Director of the Pediatric Behavior Mental Health Specialty Program
Derouin currently serves as the Director of Pediatric Behavior Mental Health specialty program. She is a dual-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in pediatric nursing. She has also completed clinical service and research projects in Africa and Central America.
Aside from her work at Duke, Derouin serves as an adolescent clinical expert and has served in numerous leadership positions in professional nursing organizations, such as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, School-based Health Alliance and Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine.
Derouin’s goal is to prepare advanced practice nurses for the role of a pediatric behavioral mental health specialist. Using skills taught at Duke, nurses can assess, diagnose, begin treatment, and offer early intervention for children and teens with common mental health conditions.
“Duke School of Nursing has recently been awarded a HRSA funded grant entitled APPLES (Advancement of PMHNP/PNP-PC Learning Experiences & Service) that will provide scholarship funding for graduate students to gain mental health training at Duke and will add more pediatric-focused content to the PMHNP program,” Derouin said. The grant funding will also enhance a collaborative relationship with indigenous populations and clinical partners located in Alaska, Montana and eastern North Carolina. Derouin plans to expand the program to western North Carolina as the grant unfolds.
“Our goal is to provide education, competency and confidence for our graduates to provide services to the most vulnerable populations in the state and nation, combatting the mental health crisis,” she said.
Anne Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, is Director of the Pediatric Behavior Mental Health specialty program at the Duke School of Nursing.