PNCB and ANCC Collaborative Initiative Explores Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Care to the Pediatric Population
February 24, 2026: In 2025, the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) launched a collaborative research initiative. The survey explored the extent to which Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) address the behavioral and psychiatric-mental health needs of children, adolescents and young adults, and where there may be gaps in knowledge, training or resources to meet the needs of this population. The ACT Education Corporation’s Credentialing & Career Services team conducted the research on behalf of PNCB and ANCC.
Survey findings, to be published in the next few months, describe the pediatric patient populations served by PMHNPs, the services provided, and the education and competency development pathways of PMHNPs to strengthen care for these vulnerable patients and prevent or minimize conditions that continue into adulthood.
The collaborating organizations will also be presenting the survey methods, findings, outcomes, and implications during a session at the 2026 International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference, to be held September 14–17, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
About the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) is the largest and most essential organization for the certification, continuing education, and competency development of nursing professionals who provide care for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Established in 1975, PNCB certifies more than 58,000 nursing professionals who actively hold at least one of our four credentials: Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-AC), Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-PC), and Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). All PNCB certifications are accredited by the prestigious National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and accepted for Magnet Recognition Program demographic data collection.
About the American Nurses Credentialing Center
The American Nurses Credentialing Center partners with the nation’s largest group of healthcare professionals to uphold the highest standards of nursing excellence. With a comprehensive suite of individual certifications and organizational accreditation programs designed to foster research, innovation, career growth, and leadership development, the credentialing center equips nurses to achieve safer, patient-centric outcomes both nationally and internationally. Committed to harnessing The Power of Nurses™ to elevate care standards worldwide, the credentialing center continuously sets the benchmarks that support excellence in every facet of nursing practice.
