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The ��㴫ý has announced that Peter O’Donnell ’97, D.N.P, M.S.N., FNP, PMH, NP, will assume the role of director of the University's innovative new Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.

A ��㴫ý alum with deep ties to Maine’s health care community, O’Donnell joins ��㴫ý after a decade working in several leadership positions for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where he directed multidisciplinary teams and exhibited a commitment to compassionate care and equity in health care. Throughout his career, O’Donnell specialized in addressing challenges in health care by implementing innovative and cost-efficient programs aimed at optimizing quality care and access for underserved communities.

At the VA, O’Donnell served as the nurse practitioner residency program director, the acting chief of primary care services, the acting chief of radiology, the chief health informatics officer, and the chief of the referral care team, among other roles. As a veteran nursing leader, he pioneered and directed the department’s inaugural psychiatric nurse practitioner residency program to improve access to mental health care. He led efforts to reduce wait times, improve access to care, and reduce costs. He also designed and facilitated training on compassion and purpose for nurse managers.

In addition, O’Donnell led the next generation of nurse practitioners for a decade as a professor of nursing at both ��㴫ý and the University of Southern Maine, where he developed and advanced best practices in health services.

“Pete is a natural leader with significant experience in managing change and leading large, complicated health care units. Pete also is committed to improving access to mental health care for the residents of Maine,” said John Vitale, Ph.D., M.H.S., PA(ASCP), dean of the ��㴫ý Westbrook College of Health Professions.

O’Donnell holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science in nursing from Husson University, and a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership from ��㴫ý, where he also earned an associate degree in nursing.

“As a proud ��㴫ý graduate, I know firsthand the University’s commitment to excellence in health care education,” O’Donnell said. “Leading this new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program is an incredible opportunity to help shape future leaders in mental health. This program will empower students with the skills and knowledge to address the growing need for mental health services. This program will stand as a beacon for innovation, equity, and compassionate care in mental health.”

A fully online program, the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner master’s aims to provide exemplary, accessible education and clinical training with the goal of preparing graduates to be providers of advanced mental health services for patients of all ages in rural and urban underserved communities. Students in the program will learn to promote integrated and comprehensive health and wellness through prevention and education. They will provide assessments, diagnosis, care, and treatment of the full range of psychiatric-mental health disorders.

��㴫ý — the top provider of health professionals for Maine — launched the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program with significant financial support from the Judy Glickman Lauder Foundation to address the mental health crisis by augmenting the workforce caring for those impacted by mental health conditions. The $2 million gift also will allow ��㴫ý to train psychiatric concepts and skills to students in the undergraduate nursing program, one of the leading programs in the country.

The new program will utilize ��㴫ý’s interprofessional education (IPE) approach to health profession education. A national leader in the IPE field, ��㴫ý facilitates collaboration among students from all health disciplines, an approach that has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and increase patient satisfaction.