Personal experience propels student to improve mental health for other Californians

Chris Hall knows what it’s like to need mental health expertise.

Roughly 15 years ago, his kidney was failing. His body did not function the way it had before. He went to dialysis three times a week for four hours a day, alone. He became depressed, felt isolated, entered a dark part of his life.

“It was a huge, huge change. My family and very close friends helped guide and pulled me through that time period, but a lot of people don't have that,” explained Hall, a nurse practitioner (NP) in Sacramento. “I wish I got referred over to a mental health provider.”

But in 2011, Hall had a kidney transplant at UC Davis Health that changed his life in a way he didn’t expect. He says the surgery team was “great with communication” and included him in his care. It was the latter that made such an impression on Hall that he decided he wanted a career in health care.

“Including me in decisions, I think that was the most important part,” he said.

As a nurse, Hall learned how to advocate for his patients, and himself. Then he sought the mental support he needed. Ultimately, it prompted him to expand his current NP role to help meet Californian’s pressing mental health needs. So, he enrolled in the UC Multicampus Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program.

Collaboration fosters strength

Launched in 2020, the one-year hybrid program is a collaboration between the nursing schools at UC Davis, UCLA, UCSF and UC Irvine. Since 2023, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis has administered the program, which is co-led by education and clinical experts.

The program is geared toward advanced practice registered nurses looking to further their education and training to serve the psychiatric patient populational in their local communities. 

“The requirement is to get a minimum of 500 hours in clinical. And so that really requires people to commit to two days a week of clinical,” explained co-director Lynda Creighton-Wong. “Plus, they're carrying a 12-unit didactic course load. It’s intense, but I think it does the job.”

Students benefit from UC experts across the state and can remain in their own communities for their clinical rotations.

Vanndy Loth, who co-leads the program with Creighton-Wong, is also a graduate of the program. Her experiences as a student now shape what she hopes current and future students gain during 12 months of study.

“Our teaching model is already virtual. So, getting the practice in a virtual setting helps prep them for a lot of practice in the telehealth setting and giving tips and tricks in terms of navigating those interviews, but also getting familiar with technology. There's really no doubt or questions I have in terms of the classes that are offered or how they directly relate to patient care,” Loth said.

Many settings, one common problem

More than 50% of people with mental illness in California do not receive psychiatric care. Many communities, especially in rural and inland areas, have only half as many psychiatrists as other parts of the state.

As a nurse, Hall worked in hospice, on a medical surgical unit and in the emergency department. His time as an NP exposed him to a variety of settings, as well. Across the board, he’s seen first-hand the dire need for mental health services. Now, he’s working to change that.

“I'm doing my clinical rotations at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, going throughout the various units, being a psychiatric consultant. I’m also working at CommuniCare+OLE  in the outpatient setting with the doctor,” Hall said. “The assessment of the psychiatric provider is a little bit different. You're getting to know the patient as a whole and not just their diagnosis.”

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Stay in your community, benefit from multiple perspectives

Another thing that attracted Hall, and others to the program, is its hybrid structure.

“There is a sense of purpose and mission there. I think that folks want to work with their communities. They see the gaps. I think they want to change that,” Creighton-Wong said.

Students stay near their homes and spend time learning, rather than commuting to classes. While the other students in his class are from across the state, Hall says there is a sense of community.

“Everything can be done through Zoom. The teachers are always available through email and some have even handed out their cell numbers,” Hall said. “We also have a WhatsApp thread going. I'm able to message my classmates and share information, so that’s nice.”

Students are not mental health experts at the end of the program, but they are prepared to deliver care competently and continue building on their skills in the psychiatric space and increasing access for those across the state who desperately need it.

Full-circle moment

Hall says his experience as a patient at UC Davis Health, coupled with his perspectives as a student, are shaping the provider he hopes to become. This includes the importance of mental health and advocacy for patients.

“As a patient at UC Davis, I dreamed of being a health care professional,” Hall said. “Now, I’m living that dream. It’s all come full circle for me.”

Applications for the PMHNP program are now open with a priority deadline of Dec. 15.