NATCHITOCHES, La. – Northwestern State University has been awarded a $494,755 continuation grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to bolster the number of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) serving in rural and underserved areas across Louisiana.

This award is part of a four-year initiative through the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program for Professionals, which will total $1.97 million in funding through 2029.

“The PMHNP program provides essential learning experiences to registered nurses who want to grow into care managers for patients needing expert psychiatric treatment,” said Dr. Aaron Stigers, project lead and director of NSU’s Master of Science in Nursing and Post-Master’s Certificate programs. “Graduates are prepared to independently manage clients with psychiatric conditions upon completion.”

The project, titled “PMHNPs: Bridging the Behavioral Healthcare Gap,” offers financial support for students during their clinical coursework. Many participants continue working as nurses while pursuing their graduate degrees. The grant also provides funding for clinical preceptors, who complete mentor training to guide students through their hands-on education.

Stigers, who also coordinates NSU’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program, explained the urgency behind the project:

“Primary care providers are already in short supply—and psychiatric specialists are even scarcer. This initiative helps meet that gap by expanding access to quality mental health care across Louisiana.”

The program prepares students through an online platform, with a focus on didactic learning during the first year. After that, students move into five semesters of clinical coursework, logging over 600 hours of hands-on experience. Each year, stipend support will be provided to both students and clinical mentors.

Key goals of the project include:

• Expanding care for high-risk youth and adolescents
• Integrating telehealth and digital literacy tools into training
• Recruiting a diverse workforce to serve underserved communities
• Enhancing preceptor engagement and quality through structured training and compensation

The initiative also allows NSU to bring on a new faculty coordinator to assist with curriculum updates that will further strengthen the PMHNP program.

“This continuation award underscores federal confidence in NSU’s leadership and impact in behavioral health workforce development,” said Dr. Aimee Badeaux, dean of NSU’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health. “It affirms our role in advancing access to care in medically underserved communities.”

For more information about NSU’s nursing programs, visit nsula.edu/nursing/nursing-programs. To inquire directly about the PMHNP, MSN, or Post-Master’s Certificate programs, contact Dr. Aaron Stigers at stigersa@nsula.edu.