Tricia Howard is a master’s fellow in the 2022-2023 class of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) with the American Nurses Association (ANA). Tricia received a bachelor of science in nursing in 2000 and a master of health administration in 2013. Tricia has professional experience working in her local North Carolina public school system as a school nurse for over seven years and was recently promoted to lead nurse. Additionally, she sits on the board of directors for the Community Health Coalition in Durham, NC, and is an executive member of the African American COVID-19 taskforce. Currently, Tricia is a third-year psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (P.M.H.N.P.) student at Duke University. She has a passion for youth and has a professional interest in improving health care access, quality of care and outcomes for minority populations. Tricia is a proud mother of three children and wife to her husband, who she notes as her biggest supporter and best friend.
Tricia was drawn to the MFP after witnessing the unmet mental health needs of the students she was treating through her role as a school nurse. She shared, "I am currently the lead nurse for a school district, and I saw firsthand the disparities that exist with access to mental health services for students of color. As I completed my required clinical hours, I also saw disparities with people of color getting access to quality mental health care. In addition, culturally, people of color need more education on mental illness to reduce stigma, improve the willingness to accept treatment, and to be empowered to be an active participant in treatment to improve outcomes. As a result, I decided to apply for this fellowship with the hopes of joining a community of professionals whose mission collectively is to improve access and quality of care for people of color."
When reflecting on how the MFP has enriched her academic career and professional career, Tricia shared that it has exposed her to invaluable educational opportunities. She stated, “Since being accepted into the MFP, I must say the network of professionals as well as the mentorship has been phenomenal. I now have a community to support me where improvements are needed. There is also a wealth of SAMHSA resources that I have received through this program and have been able to share with numerous patients, families, and other non-profit organizations.”
When thinking about how the MFP has built and nurtured her professional network, Tricia highlighted the access to like-minded professionals, mentors, and opportunities for growth through trainings. She shared “MFP is helping me build my professional network through connections on various training and webinars, and with alumni who are doing work that I am interested in. Most importantly, my mentor has been amazing by recommending providers or researchers I should read/follow and providing suggested trainings I should take. This experience has been life changing, and I am so grateful that I have the chance to be a part of the MFP community.”
As a part of her MFP requirements, Tricia is working on a project to create accessibility to treatment in her community. She states, “I am currently working on a project to bring the PMHNP role to the school district, where children can be evaluated and treated within the school setting. As a provider of color, I believe this is the perfect way to reach, educate, and implement preventative mental health strategies for the pediatric population, their families, and the community connected to the children.” Tricia also plans to integrate the advocacy knowledge and skills she has acquired, "as a provider who is aware of social climate as it relates to mental health, I want to be a pioneer and leader in eliminating stigma and poor mental health outcomes among minority populations. But most importantly, my hope is to utilize my knowledge and skills to advocate, rally, and bring about more impactful and lasting changes in mental health policy and legislation.”
After graduation, Tricia plans to continue her career in nursing and find opportunities to teach and provide treatment focused on the mental health of youth and minority groups. She shared, “After completing the program, I intend to work with children and adolescents with a focus on minority and disadvantaged populations. I would also like to work with non-profit and faith-based organizations to educate the community on early detection and appropriate treatment options for mental health disorders. Finally, I would plan to advocate for increased resources, awareness, and legislation geared towards creating health equity and dismantling health disparities in the mental health field.”
When asked what advice she had for anyone thinking about applying to the MFP, Tricia said, “APPLY! This program provides tremendous empowerment, support, and enlightenment. It provides a broader perspective on issues that I would not have been aware of on my own. It elevates your understanding of topics, which allowed me to envision how I could be an agent of change to address mental health disparities. This program polishes you as a professional and as a provider.”
She went on to share about the kindness she has experienced through the ANA MFP program stating, "I would like to thank the ANA for understanding the need for this program, for seeing the value this will add to my practice, and for the distinction this provides me as a professional."