University of Arizona Receives $1.7 Million Grant to Increase Mental Health Nurses in Rural Areas

The University of Arizona (UA) has received a $1.7 million grant from the US Health Resources and Services Administration which will help bring mental health services to rural and underserved areas.

The grant will help nine mental health nurse practitioner students each year get hands on experience working in integrated care facilities in rural and underserved areas. Integrated care facilities provide services that cover primary and mental health, allowing students to work with primary care providers as part of a holistic team.

Rene Love, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, clinical associate professor and director of the UA College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, tells Nursing.Arizona.edu, “Arizona has vast areas where people have limited to no access to care. They either have to travel or they don’t get services. My thought behind applying for this grant was, ‘Can we promote and help these students so they will see the value in working with patients in integrated settings in rural and medically underserved areas?’ And beyond that, ‘Can we encourage them to stay and help these patients in Arizona once they’ve graduated from the program?”

In total, 36 students will take part in the program over the four years. UA College of Nursing faculty will encourage students to work in Arizona, but they have the option to work anywhere after completing their degrees. The university’s hope is to extend the program beyond the four years covered by the grant.

To learn more about the University of Arizona’s $1.7 million grant to help increase the number of mental health nurse practitioners in rural areas, visit here.