Join us for an enlightening conversation on "Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up!" with your host Indrias Kassaye and the distinguished Dr. Gary Lawrence, Director of Nursing at the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority. In this second episode of 50 Years – Reflect and Project, celebrating half a century of the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association, Dr. Lawrence shares his inspiring journey from being an LPN, detoxing patients in rural Oklahoma, to becoming a pioneering mental health researcher and advocate for Native American communities.

Dr. Lawrence, an alumnus of the Minority Fellowship Program, discusses the evolution of mental health care for Native Americans over the past half-century. He provides a candid look at the historical challenges faced by these communities, from lack of preventative care to the enduring impact of historical trauma. Dr. Lawrence highlights the significance of cultural buffers—practices like storytelling, powwows, and traditional games—as vital tools for healing and resilience.

Discover how Dr. Lawrence's work is bridging gaps in behavioral health care, leveraging culturally relevant interventions, and mentoring the next generation of Native American nurses and researchers. His vision for the future is both hopeful and empowering, emphasizing the importance of continuing the legacy of the Minority Fellowship Program to foster new leaders who will carry forward the work of healing and transformation.

Tune in to hear Dr. Lawrence's reflections on the past, insights into present challenges, and his inspiring vision for the future of mental health care in Native American communities. This is an episode rich with wisdom, hope, and a call to action for all who are passionate about making a difference in underrepresented communities.

Learn more about Dr. Lawrence at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/gary-l-lawrence You can listen to ‘The Ballad of Ira Hayes’ by Johnny Cash, mentioned by Dr. Lawrence in this conversation, here https://youtu.be/oEwSwQtSmDQ or read the lyrics at https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Johnny-Cash/The-Ballad-of-Ira-Hayes

Bonus: Earn Free CNE Credits! Nurses can earn Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) credits by listening to this episode. An email will be sent to you at a later date with instructions on how to claim CNE credit.

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Welcome to Season 4 of Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up. In this special episode, we kick off the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) at the American Nurses Association with an extraordinary guest, Dr. Linda Washington Brown.

Join us as we delve into Dr. Brown's inspiring journey from the segregated South to having a seat at the table where national health policies are made. Dr. Brown reflects on the transformative impact of the MFP, which has trained over a thousand behavioral health professionals, including herself. She shares heartfelt stories of overcoming adversity, the importance of mentorship, and the need for continued support and funding to address mental health and substance use disorders in underserved communities.

Dr. Brown's passion and dedication to improving mental health care for all shine through as she discusses her work with people experiencing homelessness, the disparities in vaccine access, and her efforts in training a new generation of health professionals. Her powerful insights and unwavering commitment to making a difference are sure to inspire and motivate listeners.

Tune in for an engaging, thought-provoking, and uplifting conversation with a true trailblazer in mental health nursing. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Dr. LindaWashington Brown's wealth of experience and her vision for a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system. Free continuing nursing education credits are available for listening to this and all upcoming episodes of Season 4. Details in the episode description. Be sure to share this episode and subscribe to our podcast for more inspiring content!

Article mentioned by Dr. Brown:

Hidden in Plain Sight — Reconsidering the Use of Race Correction in Clinical Algorithms Darshali A. Vyas, M.D. Leo G. Eisenstein, M.D., and David S. Jones, M.D., Ph.D. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms2004740

CNE information:

An email will be sent to you at a later date with instructions on how to claim CNE credit. The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Learn more about Dr. Linda Washington-Brown at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/linda-washington-brown

Welcome to Season 4 of Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! This season, titled "50 Years - Reflect and Project," premieres Monday, June 11, 2024, and is dedicated to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association.
Join us as we pay homage to five decades of groundbreaking contributions by visionary psychiatric nurses. We’ll delve into their remarkable legacy, reflecting on the strides we've made in mental health and substance use disorder care, particularly within underserved communities across America.
This season promises a wealth of inspiring interviews, profound reflections, and forward-thinking projections from our esteemed alumni and current fellows. We’ll explore the enduring impact of the Minority Fellowship Program and discuss innovative approaches to tackling ongoing mental health challenges.
Each podcast offers FREE CNE credits from the ANA, an ANCC accredited provider of nursing continuing professional development.
Remember to subscribe at emfp.org, the Minority Fellowship Program’s YouTube channel @mfpana, or on your preferred podcast app.
Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up – Celebrating 50 years, with so much more ahead.

Wonkyung Chang made the big move to New York City from her native South Korea to pursue her dream of a career as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Soon after taking up residence in the big city, COVID swept through transforming life in ways she had never imagined. In addition to the pressures on health care workers was the rise in anti-Asian sentiment that ultimately led the young recent immigrant to relocate to Rochester, NY, which is where we catch up with Wonkyung on this final episode of Season Three of Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up, where we have focused on the mental health crisis affecting youth and adolescents from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States.

Wonkyung, a SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association doctoral fellow, joins host Indrias Kassaye to explore the challenges that young Asian Americans face when it comes to mental health. Wonkyung speaks from her own experiences as a young immigrant navigating life in America, as well as her insights gained from research and discussions with professionals working directly with Asian-American youth. Wonkyung shares her recommendations for behavioral health professionals working with Asian American youth and highlights the urgent need for additional culturally competent care providers to enter the workforce to address the unmet needs of a rapidly growing and evolving youth generation.

To learn more about the Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association at emfp.org

Read more about Wonkyung Chang at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/wonkyung-chang

FREE Continuing Nursing Education credits are available for listening to this episode. See details below.

CNE Disclosure:

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Required Disclosures to Participants – 2023 ANA MFP Podcast Season 3:

Episode 12: Asian American Youth: Bridging Cultures and Mental Health

Continuing Nursing Education Disclosures:

• Participants may earn 0.5 hours of CNE credit for this session.
• Requirements for CNE credit are to:

1. Listen to the entire podcast.

2. Complete the evaluation after the event.

** Please use the link below to access to complete the evaluation form and to receive your CNE certificate by email. Expiration Date/Deadline: September 2025.

Evaluation Survey Link (opens on September 25, 2023) https://surveys.nursingworld.org/s3/2023-ANA-MFP-Season-3-Episode-12-Podcast-Asian-American-Youth-Bridging-Cultures-and-Mental-Health

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17219.

Substance use disorders, the impact on adolescents and young people and what behavioral health professionals including psychiatric mental health nurses can do to address the rising toll on the mental health and wellbeing of American youth is in the spotlight for this episode of Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! SAMHSA Minority Fellowship at the American Nurses Association Alumna, Dr. LaKeetra Josey, who is on the frontlines of efforts to address the mental health impact of increasing substance use disorders among young people, joins host Indrias Kassaye for this exploration of emerging trends in drug use among young people. Dr. Josey spotlights alarming developments including the embrace of increasingly dangerous substances and thrill-seeking behavior – a toxic mix that is fueling rising suicide rates among youth, especially from ethnic and racial minority groups. Dr. Josey also provides insights on community-based interventions and strategies that are being successfully employed by nurses to prevent youth sliding down the dangerous slope of substance abuse and addictions. Sounding the call to action has never been so dire. FREE CNE credits are available for listening to this episode – see details below. To learn more about the Minority Fellowship Program visit www.emfp.org
For more information about Dr. LaKeetra Josey visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/lakeetra-josey

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Required Disclosures to Participants – 2023 ANA MFP Podcast Season3:

Episode11: Young Minds, Substance Use, and Addiction

Continuing Nursing Education Disclosures:

 Participants may earn 0.5 hours of CNE credit for this session.

 Requirements for CNE credit are to:

1. Listen to the entire podcast.

2. Complete the evaluation after the event.

** Please use the link below to access to complete the evaluation form and to receive your CNE

certificate by email. 

Expiration Date/Deadline: September 11, 2025.

Evaluation Survey Link (opens on September 11, 2023) https://surveys.nursingworld.org/s3/2023-ANA-

MFP-Season-3-Episode-11-Podcast-Young-Minds-Substance-Use-and-Addiction

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional

development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17219.

Our conversations on the mental health related challenges facing young people in America continues with a discussion on the importance of belonging for the mental wellness of adolescents and youth.

Public discourse in America today laments increasing polarization, a society wide retrenchment into siloed communities defined by characteristics which can include race and ethnic identity, religion, political affiliation, perspectives on gender roles and sexual orientation, and a whole host of other factors.

Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up host Indrias Kassaye is joined by SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association Alumna Tricia Howard in episode 10 for an exploration of the mental health impact of these dynamics for adolescents and young people. Together they dissect what it means to belong, and critically, what happens when young people feel they do not belong, especially in the places and spaces that are essential for their growth and development as human beings, like school?

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Tricia Howard who has worked with the public school system for many years, brings valuable insights to this conversation, including recommendations for what behavioral health professionals, especially nurses, can do to ensure young people confronting issues related to their sense of belonging are able to overcome them, succeed and thrive.

FREE CNE credits are available for listening to this episode – see details below.

To learn more about the Minority Fellowship Program visit www.emfp.org
For more information about Tricia Howard visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/tricia-howard

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Required Disclosures to Participants – 2023 ANA MFP Podcast Season3:

Episode10: Empowering Youth: Mental Health and Belonging

Continuing Nursing Education Disclosures:

 Participants may earn 0.5 hours of CNE credit for this session.

 Requirements for CNE credit are to:

1. Listen to the entire podcast.

2. Complete the evaluation after the event.

** Please use the link below to access to complete the evaluation form and to receive your CNE certificate by email. 

Expiration Date/Deadline: August 28, 2025.

Evaluation Survey Link (opens on August 28, 2023) https://surveys.nursingworld.org/s3/MFP-Podcast-10-

Empowering-Youth-Mental-Health-and-Belonging

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional

development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17219.

Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up’s seasonal focus on the mental health challenges facing adolescents and youth from ethnic and racial minority groups in America continues with a new episode focusing on the experiences of young people who identify as LGBTQ+.

SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association alumnus Dr. Austin Nation joins host Indrias Kassaye for a frank discussion on the unique mental challenges that LGBTQ+ youth often face due to the intersection of their sexual orientation, gender identity and societal factors including racism, the opioid epidemic, and the impact of polarized political discourse where LGBTQ+ rights have become a prominent wedge issue.

Mental health related indicators including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and substance use disorders among LGBTQ+ youth are rising at alarming rates. Dr. Nation sounds an urgent call for stepped up engagement by mental health professionals including nurses to provide the empathetic care needed by arguably the most vulnerable youth in America today.

FREE CNE credits are available for listening to Season 3 episodes of Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! Find details below.

For more information about the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association visit www.emfp.org

Learn more about Dr. Austin Nation at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/austin-nation

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Required Disclosures to Participants – 2023 ANA MFP Podcast Season3: Episode9: Mental Health Allies: Nurses Empowering LGBTQ+ Youth.

Continuing Nursing Education Disclosures:

Participants may earn 0.5 hours of CNE credit for this session.

Requirements for CNE credit are to:

Listen to the entire podcast.

Complete the evaluation after the event.

** Please use the link below to access to complete the evaluation form and to receive your CNE certificate by email. Expiration Date/Deadline: August 14, 2025.

Evaluation Survey Link (opens on August 14, 2023) : https://surveys.nursingworld.org/s3/MFP-Podcast-9-Mental-Health-Allies-Nurses-Empowering-LGBTQ-Youth

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17219.

SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association alumna, Faven Mesfin joins Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up host, Indrias Kassaye, in this episode on the youth mental health challenges that immigrant adolescents and youth face in America today.

Young people from recent immigrant backgrounds are the fastest growing segment of America’s youth population today. The majority of them are from ethnic and racial minority groups. The youth mental health crisis that has been raising alarm bells is even more intense among these foreign born and first-generation young people where rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress syndrome reach up to double that of their peers.

Listen in as Faven and Indrias explore the mental health related challenges that immigrant youth are facing today – from the stress that comes with adapting to a new culture, the fallout from clashing norms and values, misunderstanding terminology, the nuances of language and how nurses can better fill the deficit in culturally competent behavioral health care providers that these adolescents and youth need to thrive.

FREE CNE credits are available for listening to Season 3 episodes of Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! Find details below.

For more information about the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association visit www.emfp.org

Learn more about Faven Mesfin at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/faven-mesfin

Required Disclosures to Participants – 2023 ANA MFP Podcast Season3: Episode8: Mental Health Needs of Immigrant Adolescents and Youth

Continuing Nursing Education Disclosures:

• Participants may earn 0.5 hours of CNE credit for this session.
   
• Requirements for CNE credit are to:
   

1. Listen to the entire podcast.
    
2. Complete the evaluation after the event.
    

** Please use the link below to access to complete the evaluation form and to receive your CNE certificate by email. Expiration Date/Deadline: July 31, 2025.

Evaluation Survey Link (opens on July 31, 2023) https://surveys.nursingworld.org/s3/MFP-Podcast-8-Mental-Health-Needs-of-Immigrant-Adolescents-and-Youth

The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17219.