AzCRH Webinar: A Novel Approach to the Behavioral Health Workforce Expansion Grant

Learning objectives:

1. Increase the supply and distribution of behavioral health professionals, therefore increasing rural access to behavioral health services
2. Expand behavioral health training to include interprofessional, team-based care.
3. Increase the number and diversity of practicing behavioral health professionals in rural, underserved, and border communities.

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Throughout her academic, research, and clinical endeavors, Dr. Sara Edmund demonstrates strong commitment to student learning, clinical knowledge growth, and to patients in psychiatric crisis. Her nursing career began by obtaining a Bachelor of Science in nursing from University of North Dakota, where she focused on issues in women’s health. After years of nursing, Dr. Edmund developed her leadership skills in a corporate capacity by delivering training to professional adult learners nationwide for many years. After completing her doctorate with a focus on family practice and psychiatric nurse practitioner, Dr. Edmund practiced in a variety of settings, most recently, in psychiatric crisis care involving court ordered treatment. Dr. Edmund’s research interests include emergency care of mentally ill patients, crisis care of dual diagnosis patients, and rhabdomyolysis identification within the dual diagnosis patient. As the Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP) Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona, she is an integral part of a team of expert educators and clinicians to prepare competent, highly dedicated PMHNPs who are prepared for the care for a variety of patients within the behavioral health system. Given her background as both FNP and PMHNP, she also has a clear understanding of the benefits of integrative care, especially in the underserved communities. In 2021, she and her team wrote, and were awarded, a 2-million-dollar HRSA grant focusing on behavioral health workforce expansion. She is currently the project director, in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, focusing on interprofessional PMHNPs and psychology professionals collaboration in the medically underserved areas.