My scholarly interests include mental health outcomes research, bereavement following sudden, unnatural death specifically by suicide, complicated grief, and alcohol and drug use/misuse. Pilot data from a recent study is being used to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a crisis intervention program for survivors of suicide after the death of a family member or significant other. I am also working on a technology project using a phone application called COMPANION to evaluate its feasibility for use with survivors’ and their social support networks. Currently I am the Project Director (PI) on two HRSA-funded grants designed to 1) teach Emergency Department Registered Nurses (EDRNs) the evidence-based practice of screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment (EDRN-SBIRT) for patients who use or misuse alcohol and/or other drugs; and 2) teach interprofessional groups of anesthesia students how to assess and intervene with both patients and colleagues who may be misusing alcohol or other drugs. Most recently, I and two colleagues received the International Award for Excellence, Evidence Based Practice Award from Sigma Theta Tau International. I am certified as a clinical research coordinator (CCRC) through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and provide consultation and education specific to research and evidence-based practices.
Courses Taught at Pitt
- Contemporary Issues in Cross-Cultural Healthcare
Education & Training
- PhD, Counselor in Ed. / Psychology in Ed. - University of Pittsburgh
- MS, Community Mental Health / Nursing - Penn State University
- BS, Nursing - Penn State University
- RN, Nursing - South Side Hospital School of Nursing
Representative Publications
“Screening and Brief Intervention: A Self-paced Online Course” (2018): http://www.jhu.edu [with Ann M. Mitchell, Deb Finnell, and Christine Savage]
Chiappetta, L., Stark, S., Mahmoud, K.F., Bahnsen, K.R., & Mitchell, A.M. (2018). Motivational interviewing to increase outpatient attendance for adolescent psychiatric patients. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(6): 31-35 [doi: 10.3928/02793695-20180212-04] [Continuing Nursing Education Article]
Foresome, J., Lee, H., Ren, D., Stark, S., & Mitchell, A.M. (2018). Implementing a brief healthy-lifestyle group program on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 2018: 1-6 [doi:10.1111/ppc.12328] [Original Article]
Mitchell, A.M., Mahmoud, K., Fornili, K., Fogger, S., & Griffith, K. (2018, October). IntNSA’s position paper on women and substance use. Presented at the International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA) 41st Annual Educational Conference – Substance Use and Recovery-Oriented Care: 21st Century Challenges and Opportunities, Denver CO: 40