About Us

The History of The Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses began in 1968 when 6 Master's Prepared Nurses wanted to begin to see patients privately.  They were all Alumni of Rutgers University who were students of Hildegard Peplau.

After passing an examination and presenting a case reviewed by peers, the first Induction Ceremony took place in 1972 in West Orange.  Ongoing peer supervision was a requirement. Eventually, the American Nurses Association took over the credentialing and titled Master's Prepared Psychiatricnurses as Clinical Specialists.

In 1983, Blue Cross/Blue Shield provided insurance coverage for Clinical Specialists. In 1994, the name changed to Advanced Practice Nurses and prescriptive authority was granted for psychotropic non-controlled substances. In August 2004, controlled substances were added to the list of psychotropics that could be prescribed.

Our Mission: 

to foster excellence in psychiatric advanced practice nursing 

Our Purpose: 

to provide ongoing support to our members 

Our Goals: 

to advocate high quality professional care to clients, their families and the community by:

• Promoting professional development through continuing education, networking, award recognition

• Providing member support through peer supervision and mentoring 

• Enhancing communication and professional collaboration among healthcare providers 

• Educating consumers regarding issues of mental health Monitoring trends and needs in mental healthcare and influencing public policy