Kathleen M. Andolina, PMNCNS-BC, PC
I am honored to serve as the Interim Chair of the Massachusetts Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (MAAPPN). Diane Grimaldi, DNP, PMHCNS, proudly and ably served in the role until September 2021 when she stepped down. Since then, the Board has continued to meet and focus on the needs of the membership. Having been granted Full Independent Practice Authority (FPA) including supervisory reform measures on January 1, 2021, Massachusetts became the 22nd state in the nation grant FPA to nurses. With that important legislative gain, MAAPPN has continued to focus on strengthening our relationships with Psych APRNs, students, nursing school faculty, and the Board of Registration in Nursing, as well as fellow provider, policy and advocacy groups via the Mental Health Coalition.
I am particularly indebted for the ongoing support of the MAAPPN Board and our Legislative advocate, Mary Ann Hart for guidance and direction. Please review the Board Tab to learn more about each of these extraordinary people. In this interim phase, we are committed to:
I thank you for your ongoing support by paying dues, spreading the word about MAAPPn and bringing colleagues to meetings! We are all in this together.
Plan to register for our in person or our Virtual MAAPPN Meetings to keep up with the issues affecting Advanced Psychiatric Nursing practice in Massachusetts. With passage of the Health Care Bill in 2021 and the Mental Health Omnibus bill in 2022 new responsibilities and challenges require more then ever that we work together as a group. These gains include supervisory independence and signatory equivalence for Psych CNS’s/NPs. Opportunities in 2023 lie with supporting Psychiatric NP students through peer supervision and preceptor initiatives. Additionally, there is much work to do to address healthcare inequities through diversity/inclusion actions, reimbursement support and more!
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MAAPPN is grateful to those who have supported us through our website and quarterly meeting opportunities. We invite interested industry leaders to explore opportunities to display at our MAAPPN Member Meetings!
MAAPPN2022
Aug 1st, 2022 Signatory equivalence for CNSs to NPs is passed as part of the MH Omnibus Bill.
June 9th, 2021 Sec. Mary Lou Sudder’s announces at MAAPPN Meeting that the order to remove supervision for experienced Psych APRNs will go into effect as of June 9th, 2021 (Patients First Act).
Jan 1, 2021 Governor Charlie Baker signed into law, An Act Promoting a Resilient Health Care System That Puts Patients First making Massachusetts the 23rd state in the nation to pass Full Independent Practice Authority legislation for Psych APRNs.
January 1, 2021 As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 Good Faith Estimate rules go into effect.
MAAPPN has a long and storied history. In 1975, when nurses were excluded from insurance reimbursement we formed as Nurses United for Reimbursable Services (NURS) but within a year changed both the mission and name to “Nurses United for Responsible Services”.
NURS met with astonishing success in accomplishing unprecedented legislative and policy gains in MA. In the intervening years, Psychiatric APRNs have continued to earn the respect of our colleagues and clients as highly skilled providers, reliable quality advocates and superb educators for our future generation of advanced practice nurses.
Today, MAAPPN continues its mission to protect our ability to practice to our full scope and support the Psych APRN in their career journey.
January 1, 2021 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published an FAQ about the good faith estimate (GFE) requirement under the federal No Surprises Act (NSA), which went into effect on January 1, 2022.
Under the NSA, providers and facilities that schedule items or services for uninsured or self-pay patients must comply with the NSA’s good faith estimate requirement. (A self-pay patient meaning an individual that has coverage but chooses not to use their benefits.)
The FAQ—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Implementation- Good Faith Estimates— clarifies, among other thing, that the requirement applies to all providers and facilities, not just those who are out-of-network. Therefore, for example, if an insured patient chooses to pay cash for a service or is seeking to schedule a non-covered service, the NSA’s requirement to provide a good faith estimate would still apply.
Regis College Nurses Applaud State’s Practice Supervision Reform January 01, 2021 After a nearly two-decade battle for advanced practice nurses in the Regis College community and across Massachusetts, a newly signed
MAAPPN Member Meeting Thursday, April 8th, 2021
Featured Speaker: Sen. Julian Cyr, Chair, Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Recovery Committee.
Please register below for the first MAAPPN Tele-Meeting of 2021 scheduled for April 8th from 5:30 PM to 8 PM. Keep up with the issues affecting our practice: passage of the Health Care bill, Telehealth, student support, diversity and succession planning among many others!
Please join us for this important conversation!
MAAPPN Annual Membership Drive 2021 Dear Members: It is time for our annual MAAPPN membership drive! To retain “current membership” status, please renew your membership
How long will it take for the Full Practice Authority (FPA) provisions in the healthcare bill to take effect? Full Practice Authority for MA NPs
The key provisions of the new law include: Requiring coverage of telehealth services including behavioral health care Expanding Scope of Practice for Advanced Practice Nurses