From the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing…
April 2024 Research Highlights reported by the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing.
Kniaka Bethel, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, is a nurse practitioner and educator with substantial interest in vulnerable populations, including individuals with mental illness. Though Dr. Bethel’s research interests are wide, her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare as well as for underserved groups’ access to healthcare has been a central focus. Dr. Bethel is recognized for her academic leadership and success and is concentrating on equipping different entities such as police officers on strategically and efficiently handling individuals with mental illness. She is currently working on a multi-discipline research project that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Model on increasing police officers’ handling of mentally ill individuals. Dr. Bethel recognizes the implications for police officers who often respond to and interact with individuals with mental illness; has become a proponent for change, putting forward the need for more officer training on crisis intervention, de-escalation, and effective communication tactics. With scholarly presentations on the way, including the 2024 Baptist Health Conference, Dr. Bethel aims to increase awareness on this issue in scholarly and healthcare settings to inform researchers, policy makers, and providers. She will continue to advocate for vulnerable groups across disciplines.