The CPNP Foundations thrives because of its donors, and this month, we would especially like to thank Carla Cobb, PharmD, BCPP, who has joined as the newest member of the Foundation's Legacy Partner's Society by making a planned gift to the Foundation.
Dr. Carla Cobb is a Founding Member of CPNP and has since dedicated many years of volunteer service to the organization and the CPNP Foundation. She served as President of the CPNP Board of Directors from 2008-2009, she has volunteered on multiple review teams and task forces, and currently serves on the Government Affairs Council. Dr. Cobb was instrumental in starting the CPNP Foundation, serving on the CPNP Foundation Board from 2010-2015 and gaining the title of Founding Circle Member by generously providing funds to start Foundation initiatives.
The CPNP Foundation enjoys recognizing donors who exemplify the values of the Foundation through their dedication and commitment to meeting the needs of patients living with psychiatric and neurologic disorders and their families, and we are honored to feature her in this edition of the Kaleidoscope and learn more about her career.
Dr. Cobb’s Career
After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, Dr. Cobb worked as a pharmacist providing services to nursing homes. One of the nursing homes she served had many residents with serious mental illnesses which spurred her interest in psychiatric pharmacy. Later, she attended the PharmD program at the University of Texas and was mentored by Larry Ereshefsky and Steve Saklad among others.
Dr. Cobb’s first position as a psychiatric pharmacist was at the San Antonio State Hospital where she worked with elderly patients with serious psychiatric disorders. “I enjoyed the team approach to care and the supportive psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, and pharmacists with whom I worked,” she noted. In 2013, she was awarded the Bowl of Hygeia for outstanding community service and in 2015, she was honored with the Judith J. Saklad Memorial Award by CPNP for professional distinction and continuing dedication to the practice of psychiatric pharmacy.
Fast forward to today, Dr. Cobb has recently retired from clinical practice as a psychiatric pharmacist in a federally qualified health center and family medicine residency program. She is now an independent consultant working with physicians and pharmacists interested in integrating clinical pharmacy and behavioral health services into primary care or psychiatric settings. She also continues to teach and advocate for the role of pharmacists as patient care providers.
Supporting the CPNP Foundation
Dr. Cobb believes in the Foundation’s mission to educate and provide resources for pharmacists who work with people with mental illnesses. “The Foundation targets those who are not psychiatric specialists, increasing the opportunity for even more patients to benefit from compassionate and knowledgeable care from pharmacists. As a founding member of the CPNP Foundation, I appreciate the ongoing energy and efforts of the staff and board who continue to move the Foundation forward. I am confident that the CPNP Foundation will use the funds effectively and responsibly.”
Dr. Cobb sees a clear need, as well as an enormous opportunity, for pharmacists to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. “Pharmacists interact every day with people living with mental illnesses but many do not have the knowledge, comfort, or confidence to be able to provide the best possible care for these patients,” she said. “I believe that the key to improving care is through exposure to the world of psychiatric pharmacy. Whether it’s supporting student attendance at the CPNP annual meeting, fostering trainees’ research, or confronting stigma, the Foundation exposes pharmacists at all stages of their career to the possibility of changing lives through a rewarding career.”
The CPNP Foundation Board of Directors sincerely thanks Dr. Carla Cobb for her ongoing commitment to the Foundation’s mission. To join Dr. Cobb as a CPNP Foundation donor and/or Legacy Partner, visit cpnpf.org/pledge.