An Untapped Solution to the Mental Health Crisis: Independent Practice for NPs.

Restrictive laws still impede nurse practitioners (NPs) from realizing the full scope of their training and education in too many states. While practice laws vary from state to state, working in states with restricted practice policies creates a multitude of barriers for patients seeking accessible, high-quality mental health care, especially in rural areas. One psychiatric mental health NP describes the multiple obstacles she faced in attempting to provide much-needed care to the perinatal mental health community in her state. This review highlights evidence that supports full practice authority, showing improved patient access to high-quality care combined with anecdotal support describing the barriers faced by one clinician. Her journey directly speaks to harsh realities imposed by collaborative physician mandates and the urgent need for nurse practitioner independent practice.