Bari K. Platter, MS, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FIAAN, an Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation

Get to know Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, Bari K. Platter, who serves patients in Aurora, Colorado.

Bari is a board-certified adult psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist with over three decades of experience working in a variety of mental health settings. At present, she works at the Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. 

The Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation is UCHealth’s premier addiction treatment center. It delivers the highest level of comprehensive treatment for people 18 years and older who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. The Center’s innovative, evidence-based programs not only save lives, but provide a meaningful foundation for long-term recovery from addiction.

In addition to facilitating several groups at the Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation and providing individual therapy, Bari teaches at the University of Colorado College of Nursing in the graduate program. Moreover, she provides clinical supervision at the University of Colorado Hospital’s Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic and presents at numerous local, regional, and national conferences.

Back in 1985, Bari obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the University of Colorado College of Nursing. Five years later, in 1990, she earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from the University of Colorado Denver. 

A member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and a Fellow of the International Academy of Addiction Nurses (FIAAN), she is the 2016 recipient of the Florence Nightingale Award. It is Colorado’s highest nursing honor, given to an outstanding nurse who went above and beyond the call of duty, and demonstrated hard work, leadership, and innovation.

An internationally recognized speaker/ trainer, Bari is published in the areas of addiction, cultural competency, and mental health nursing. She is the co-author of “Integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy with the Twelve Steps: A Program for Treating Substance Use Disorders”.  She is also a Dialectical Behavior Therapy trainer and a certified Crucial Conversations trainer. Her additional areas of expertise include solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, interpersonal communication, cultural competency, and case management.

Psychiatric nursing or mental health nursing is the appointed position of a nurse that specialises in mental health, and cares for people of all ages experiencing mental illnesses or distress. The practice of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMHN) as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) is considered an advanced specialty in nursing.

Learn More About Bari K. Platter:

Through her online profile, https://todaysnurse.org/network/index.php?do=/4146287/info/ or through the Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation, https://www.cedarcolorado.org/about-us/staff/bari-platter/