Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Programs
Transform Lives Through Advanced Psychiatric Nursing
Antioch University’s Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) programs prepare you to meet the rising demand for compassionate, expert mental healthcare. Whether you're earning your master’s, expanding your credentials with a certificate, or advancing to the highest level of nursing with a DNP, our flexible, mission-driven programs equip you to make a lasting difference in diverse communities.
Mental Health is a Critical Need and You’re the Solution
With mental healthcare needs rising across all age groups and settings, PMHNPs are among the most urgently needed advanced practice providers. You’ll be trained to assess, diagnose, and treat psychiatric and behavioral health conditions while promoting wellness, resilience, and recovery.
PMHNPs serve in diverse roles and environments:
- Community mental health centers
- Outpatient and inpatient psychiatric settings
- Primary care integration
- Schools, correctional facilities, and long-term care
- Private practice and telehealth
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioner roles are projected to grow 46% from 2023 to 2033, with especially strong demand in psychiatric and mental healthcare.
The degree/certificate programs in nursing at Antioch University are pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
Licensure
This program is designed to lead to state licensure.
Available Programs
Elevating Your Nursing Career with a Proven Legacy
As Proud Co-Founder of the Coalition for the Common Good, Antioch University offers a program with a rich tradition of excellence, honed over 45 years by dedicated nursing professionals. Formerly anchored at Otterbein University, this initiative now thrives at Antioch, continuing a legacy of quality and practical expertise. Benefit from our flexible, student-centered graduate model, designed to empower you with clinical confidence and personalized support, ensuring you're prepared to excel in your nursing practice.
Rooted in Justice. Committed to Community. Built for Impact.
Antioch’s Graduate School of Nursing and Health Professions is meeting healthcare challenges with bold, justice-focused solutions. We believe advanced nursing education must go beyond clinical excellence; it must foster leadership, advocacy, and systemic change.
Our programs reflect:
- Antioch University’s mission to advance social, racial, and health equity
- A vision of inclusive care for all individuals and families
- A commitment to transforming systems from within, one nurse leader at a time
Program Goals
- Develop competent nursing professionals who are able to integrate and synthesize knowledge from relevant fields of study to provide safe, patient-centered care to diverse individuals, families, groups, and populations. (Knowledge/Quality and Safety; Domain 1, 2, 5)
- Prepare graduate nurses for intentional collaboration with other health professionals and healthcare stakeholders to promote optimal, equitable health outcomes that foster social justice in the health promotion and disease management for marginalized populations. (Intraprofessional/Populations; Domain 3, 6)
- Equip graduate nurses to lead in complex health systems while reflecting on self-bias to pursue personal and professional development and advocacy for all humanity. (Leadership/Professionalism; Domains, 7, 9, 10)
- Cultivate ethical health professionals who use a variety of informatics technologies to generate, analyze, and synthesize knowledge to improve health and transform healthcare. (EBP/Informatics; Domains 1, 4, 8)
Faculty Spotlights
Deana Batross, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Director
Diane White, PhD, RN
Dean
Regina Prusinski, DNP, CPNP-AC, FNP-BC
Chair
Accreditation Information
(For Applicants – CCNE Accreditation in Progress) All Graduate Nursing programs must complete the CCNE approval process AFTER students are enrolled. In order to have sufficient enrollment and data, programs are encouraged to seek accreditation within 1-2 years.
Not yet. Our graduate nursing program is currently in the process of seeking initial accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This process includes a comprehensive self-study, peer review, and site visit. The accreditation decision will follow after that.
This means our program has:
- Applied for accreditation
- Submitted a self-study report
- Will be hosting a CCNE site visit
Programs are not considered accredited until the CCNE Board of Commissioners makes an official accreditation decision.
Yes. If the program is granted CCNE accreditation, accreditation can be retroactively applied to include students who were enrolled during the time of the site visit. This means your degree can be considered accredited depending on your enrollment date and the final accreditation outcome.
The timeline typically follows this sequence:
- Final decision by CCNE Board: Early Spring 2028 (Jan/Feb)
- Self-study submission: August 2027
- CCNE site visit: October 2027
We will share updates with enrolled and prospective students as we move through each phase.
Our program:
- Meets national curriculum standards for certification
- Our goal is to build a high-quality program that supports both licensure and career advancement.
- Is led by experienced faculty
- Has strong clinical partnerships
- Smaller program size offers more attention and support for student success
- Faculty are intentional with student engagement and interactive learning
- Is committed to full compliance with CCNE and the state Board of Nursing requirements
No, as long as:
- The program is approved by the state Board of Nursing
- You meet the requirements of the certifying body (e.g., ANCC, AANP)
You may sit for your certification exam. The national certification body verifies graduation from a CCNE-approved program to release certification.
We will:
- Designate a faculty contact for questions related to accreditation status
- Share updates via email and our program website
- Host Q&A sessions for prospective and current students
Program Director: Dr. Regina Prusinski
Email: [email protected]
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