(McLean, VA, January 17, 2014) – The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (PRA) welcomes 77 new psychiatric rehabilitation professionals who passed the Fall 2013 Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) exam to a group of distinguished leaders in the psychiatric rehabilitation field. The CPRP is a test-based certification that fosters the growth of a qualified, ethical, and culturally diverse psychiatric rehabilitation workforce through enforcement of a practitioner code of ethics. PRA, the exclusive credentialing body of the CPRP designation, developed and administers the credential to advance the availability and practice of psychiatric rehabilitation.

Seventy-one percent of the 108 candidates who took the Fall 2013 exam passed. The high scored achieved on this administration was 89%, and candidates spanned the United States and Singapore. The Certification Commission, on behalf of PRA, is the exclusive credentialing body of the CPRP designation and has developed and administers the certification exam to advance the availability and practice of quality psychiatric rehabilitation services. To sit for the exam, candidates must meet rigorous eligibility criteria based on level of formal education, employment experience, and continuing education. To assist in exam preparation, PRA offers a number of training opportunities through the Academy of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery, including webinars, instructor-led online courses, and sessions at the PRA Annual Conference. Many state and local chapters of PRA also offer educational opportunities for CPRPs and CPRP exam candidates.

“PRA and the Certification Commission are proud to offer the CPRP designation to further PRA’s mission to grow and train a qualified recovery workforce,” said Diane Brewer, MS, LPCC, CRC, CPRP, president of the Certification Commission and ex-officio member of the PRA Board of Directors. “This year, PRA will offer more resources to CPRPs than ever before with the establishment of the Academy of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery; PRA’s new training program that offers first-rate courses that make both earning maintaining the CPRP more accessible.”

Through the CPRP designation, PRA advances the psychiatric rehabilitation field, increases cooperation between like-minded organizations and professions, and provides a means to establish and enforce an ethical code of practice. The CPRP signifies the current competence of the individual to practice psychiatric rehabilitation. The exam provides avenues for psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners from a wide variety of educational backgrounds to become certified and is unique in the mental health profession – the CPRP is the only credential available to practitioners who may or may not have completed a post-secondary academic program.

Please see below for a full list of the 77 professionals who recently earned the CPRP designation. The next CPRP exam will begin on March 29 and closes on April 12, 2014. PRA looks forward to welcoming a new class of CPRPs in May.

PRA issued the Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner designation to 77 candidates who passed the Fall 2013 exam:

• Jason Anders - Carelink Community Support Services, Eddystone, PA
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• June Averyt - Outreach Housing & Community, Inc., Memphis , TN


• Carson Bedke - Riverside Behavioral Health, Garden City, ID


• April Befort - View Point Health, Lawrenceville, GA


• Tina Borger - Hand in Hand Christian Counseling, Franklin, GA


• Danielle Brown - Salisbury Behavioral Health, Allentown, PA


• Kevin Burns - Mental Health Center of Denver, Denver, CO


• Brian Caldwell - Eastern Sky, PC, Wilburton, OK


• Shannon Campbell - Courage Center, Golden Valley, MN


• Robert Cleveland - Horizon House, Philadelphia, PA


• Jesus Cuenca - Veterans Administration, Menlo Park, CA


• Jeff Desantis - Jewish Residential Services, Pittsburgh, PA


• Michael Dorr - Coordinated Care Services, Inc., Rochester , NY


• Cathleen Duff - Gilbert - Middle Flint BHC, Americus, GA


• Lawrence Edge - Georgia Regional Hospital and Savannah, Savannah, GA


• Vanessa Gibson - Unity House of Cayuga County, Auburn, NY


• Nigel Greenaway - Peer Support and Wellness Center, Decatur, GA


• Marina Gresham - Holcomb Behavioral Health - Cornerstone Clubhouse, Exton, PA


• Emily Grossman - New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Albany, NY


• Matthew Hallowell - Leyline Advocates, Boise, ID


• Lisa Harenski - West Place Clubhouse, Greenburg, PA


• Phyllis Harper - Micintosh Trail CSB, Griffin, GA


• Karen Hughes - Catch, Inc., Philadelphia, PA


• Dorothy Hutchinson - Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston, MA


• Kathryn Johnson - INTERIM, Inc., Monterey, CA


• Heidi Kendall - Mosaic Community Services, Timonium, MD


• Jacob Kendrick - Service Access & Management, Du Bois, PA


• Donna Keutmann - Recovery Partnership, Bethlehem, PA


• Brenna King - Beford Somerset MH/MR, Bedford, PA


• Ann King - Grosh - No Longer Alone Ministries, Lancaster, PA


• Jamie Larsen - Pioneer Health Resources, Boise, ID


• Robert Lawson - Alleghany Highlands Community Service Board, Covington, VA


• Kristina Lenneman - Community Mental Health, Pocatello, ID


• Kenneth Lewis - Resources for Human Development, Philadelphia, PA


• Anne Lisowski - Northeast Counseling Services, Nanticoke, PA


• Marguerite Maccolini - Creating Increased Connections - Resources for Human Development, Bridgeport, PA


• Kate Marder - The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX


• Laura Mason - Pioneer Health Resources, Boise, ID


• Idalia Matthews - INTERIM, Inc., Monterey, CA


• Eric Maurer - Grady Healthcare, Atlanta, GA


• Scarlett McAleese - Shelter Cove, Marina, CA


• Jennifer McCreight - NorthCare, Oklahoma City, OK


• Janette Mckeever - NorthCare, Oklahoma City, OK


• Lauren Means - Catch, Inc., Philadelphia, PA


• Angela Mendez - Northwest Residence, Brooklyn Center, MN


• Jonathan Michell - Recovery In Motion, LLC, Mansfield,  TX


• Michelle Miller - Threshold Rehabilitation Services, Inc., Reading , PA


• Alexandria Misiti - Vinfen Corporation, Cambridge, MA


• Pamela Nabried - Abdullah - Horizon House, Philadelphia, PA


• Noelle Nero - South End Community Health Center CBFS, Boston, MA


• Darwin Oakes - Colorado Mental Health Institute Fort Logan, Denver, CO


• Chai Cheong Ong - Singapore Anglican Community Service, Singapore, 


• Darryl Parker - Horizon House, Philadelphia, PA


• Milagros Pastrana - Cardona - Bridgeway Psychiatric Services, Elizabeth, NJ


• Cerenity Petracek - Mental Health Resources, Minneapolis, MN


• Karina Pinedo - INTERIM, Inc., Monterey, CA


• Matthew Pinnel - Northwestern Human Services, Philadelphia, PA


• Monica Pope - Middle Flint BHC, Americus, GA


• Robert Ruiz - Salisbury Behavioral Health, Stroudsburg, PA


• Miranda Salinas - INTERIM, Inc., Monterey, CA


• Stacy Seymore - Mosaic Community Services, Timonium, MD


• Lisa Shurtleff - American Work, Inc./Stephens Co. Peer Center, Toccoa, GA


• Hazel Smith - Guild - Wellspring Community Support Services, Inc., Mansfield, PA


• Dawn Smith - Guild – Collaborative Supports of New Jersey, Absecon, NJ


• Ingrid Smyer - Bay Cove Human Services, Boston, MA


• Crystal Sorabella - South End Community Health Center, Boston, MA


• Sarah Sorresso - NHS Stevens STAR Center, Carlisle, PA


• Joseph Stonebraker - West Place Clubhouse, Greenburg, PA


• Mark Suszko - Resources for Human Development, Lehighton, PA


• Julian Thomas - Assertive Community Recovery, Decatur, GA


• Anna Trout - Hedwig House (HOPE Academy), Colmar, PA


• Simona Tuminello - Sertoma Centre, Matteson, IL


• Victoria Vogt - Philhaven, Harrisburg, PA


• Matthew Vorhies - Human Supports of Idaho, Inc., Boise, ID


• Erin Watterson - Human Supports of Idaho, Inc., Caldwell, ID


• Tracey Williams - Dickinson Center. Inc., Ridgeway, PA


• Iretha Woods - Bishop Foundation, Quitman, GA