NAPNAP Cares

NAPNAP is excited to bring pediatric mental health continuing education to pediatric-focused APRNs through our educational initiative NAPNAP Cares.

NAPNAP Cares was developed in response to the pediatric mental health crisis in the United States.

We assembled a group of very experienced member experts who will discuss the evaluation, diagnostic decision making, and initial- and ongoing- management of a variety of mental health conditions and health promotion and anticipatory guidance.

Each course in the NAPNAP Cares collection was free to NAPNAP members through June 2025 thanks to the generous support of NAPNAP's Acute Care, Adolescent Health Care, Childhood Obesity, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Developmental Behavioral and Mental Health, Pediatric Emergency Care and School-based Health Care SIGs. Learn more about joining NAPNAP today to get free access to NAPNAP Cares!

AVAILABLE COURSES

Phase 3
Statement of Review and Update:
The continuing education activities in phase three of the NAPNAP Cares course series were reviewed and updated through May-September 2026 to ensure compliance with current clinical standards, updated instructional content and best practices in health care education. The updated courses are now available through June 2027.

• Trauma and stressor related disorders (1.25 CE, 0.25 Psychopharmacology)
• Neurosensory impairments (1 CE)
• Genetic disorders (1 CE)
• Motor disorders (1 CE)
• Bipolar disorder (1.25 CE, 0.5 Psychopharmacology)
• Mental health and emergencies  (1.5 CE, 0.25 Pharmacology)
• Obsessive-compulsive, tic disorder and related disorders (1 CE, 0.25 Psychopharmacology) 
• Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (1 CE, 0.25 Psychopharmacology, 1 Controlled substance)
• Epilepsy in children (1 CE, 0.25 Pharmacology)
• Neurodevelopmental disorders (1.25 CE) (This course is no longer available)
   

Phase 2
Statement of Review and Update:
The continuing education activities in phase two of the NAPNAP Cares course series were reviewed and updated in November 2025- January 2026 to ensure compliance with current clinical standards, updated instructional content and best practices in health care education. The updated courses are now available through December 2027.

• Developmental delay (1 CE, 0.25 Psychopharmacology)
• Abuse and neglect (1 CE)
• Elimination disorders (encopresis and enuresis) (1 CE)
• Gender dysphoria (1.5 CE, 0.25 Pharmacology, 0.25 Psychopharmacology)
• Sensory processing issues (1.25 CE)
• Somatic symptoms and related disorders (1.5 CE)
• Health promotion and anticipatory guidance (1.5 CE)
• Importance of comprehensive health History and evaluation (1 CE)
• Intellectual disability (2 CE, 0.25 Pharmacology, 0.25 Psychopharmacology)
• Sleep disorders (1.5 CE) (This course is no longer available)

Phase 1
Statement of Review and Update:
The continuing education activities in phase one of the NAPNAP Cares course series were reviewed and updated in July- September 2025 to ensure compliance with current clinical standards, updated instructional content and best practices in health care education. The updated courses are now available through June 2027.

• Refocusing the diagnosis and management of ADHD (1.25 CE, 0.5 Pharmacology, 0.5 Psychopharmacology)
• Communication disorders (0.75 CE)
• Early Identification and screening for DBMH conditions (1 CE)
• Learning disorders (1.25 CE)
• Feeding and eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (1.5 CE)
• Substance use and addictive disorders (1.25 CE, 1.25 Controlled substance)
• Anxiety in children and adolescents (1.25 CE, 0.25 Pharmacology, 0.25 Psychopharmacology)
• Autism spectrum disorders (1.25 CE)
• Identification and management of depression in children and teens (This course is a replacement for How to identify and treat depression in children and teens)
• Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (This course is no longer available)

NAPNAP Cares aims to prepare PNPs and pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to meet the mental and behavioral health care needs of pediatric patients and their families.

NAPNAP Cares is an extensive course library that provides accessible pediatric mental and behavioral health education and is suited for:

• pediatric-focused APRNs interested in expanding their knowledge in specific aspects of pediatric mental health
• pediatric-focused APRNs working towards the Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS) certification
• PMHS-certified professionals looking to enhance their mental health knowledge

Note to PMHS-certified: Basic renewal requirements for those with a PMHS credential, include completing an equivalent of 15 contact hours of pediatric developmental/behavioral/mental health (DBMH) annually. Per PNCB, all NAPNAP Cares courses meet the requirements for pediatric DBMH contact hours. 

To support your learning experience, we invite NAPNAP members to join our online community where our subject matter experts will answer your questions and you can engage in conversations with them and with your colleagues. To join NAPNAP Cares community board, click here
Not a NAPNAP member? To enroll in the courses for a reduced rate and join our online community - join NAPNAP today!

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].