NAMI Ask the Expert: The Rise of Clozapine: Breaking Barriers and Improving Outcomes OD008

An on-demand video and transcript of the presentation are available here [opens in new tab].

About The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. They are an alliance of more than 650 local Affiliates and 49 State organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to people with mental illness and their loved ones. Through awareness, advocacy and education, NAMI is committed to building stronger communities and a better future for everyone affected by mental illness.

Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by NAMI, explores the history, clinical significance, and evolving use of clozapine. With an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors the course presents both clinical and systemic perspectives on this unique antipsychotic. Clozapine remains the gold standard for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and suicidality, yet it is significantly underutilized due to monitoring requirements, misconceptions, and systemic barriers. Dr. Deanna Kelly provides a comprehensive review of the evidence base, including recent policy changes to the FDA’s REMS program, advances in point-of-care monitoring, genetic considerations for African American populations, and emerging research on earlier use of clozapine. Participants will be provided information on best practices for supporting clients, navigating clinical barriers, and advocating for equitable access to care.

Course Format

This course contains a participant guide, practice test, and on-demand video (with a slide deck of the presentation). When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the clinical benefits and risks of clozapine compared to other antipsychotics.
2. Identify barriers to clozapine access, including monitoring requirements, systemic factors, and disparities in Black populations.
3. Apply knowledge of clozapine’s evidence base to support advocacy, treatment planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration in clinical practice.

Course Syllabus

• Introduction to Clozapine
• Barriers and Systemic Challenges
• Innovations and Emerging Practices
• Future Directions

Current References

Baig, A. I., Bazargan-Hejazi, S., Ebrahim, G., & Rodriguez-Lara, J. (2021). Clozapine prescribing barriers in the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a systematic review. Medicine, 100(45), e27694. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000027694 [opens in a new tab]

Correll, C. U., Agid, O., Crespo-Facorro, B., de Bartolomeis, A., Fagiolini, A., Seppälä, N., & Howes, O. D. (2022). A guideline and checklist for initiating and managing clozapine treatment in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. CNS Drugs, 36(7), 659–679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-022-00932-2 [opens in a new tab]

Corrigan, P. W., Watson, A. C., & Barr, L. (2006). The self-stigma of mental illness: Implications for self-esteem and self-efficacy. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 25(8), 875–884. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2006.25.8.875 [opens in a new tab]

Cotes, R. O., Janjua, A. U., Broussard, B., Lazris, D., Khan, A., Jiao, Y., Kopelovich, S. L., & Goldsmith, D. R. (2022). A Comparison of Attitudes, Comfort, and Knowledge of Clozapine Among Two Diverse Samples of US Psychiatrists. Community Mental Health Journal, 58(3), 517–525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00847-0 [opens in a new tab]

De las Cuevas, C. (2025). Clozapine and Regulatory Inertia: Revisiting Evidence, Risks, and Reform. Healthcare, 13(14), 1668. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13141668 [opens in a new tab]

Kelly, D. L., Hunt, J., Vyas, G., Glassman, M., Brown, C. H., Fang, L. J., Wehring, H. J., Love, R. C., Weiner, E., Reeves, G., Ehret, M. J., Nucifora, F. C., Buchanan, R. W., Lanzkron, S., Barr, B., Richardson, C. M., Wonodi, I., Kearns, A. M., Leistikow, N., Liu, F., Pugh, S., Adams, H. A., & Kreyenbuhl, J. (2025). Randomized controlled trial of an Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) tele-mentoring program to increase clozapine utilization. Schizophrenia Bulletin. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbaf067 [opens in a new tab]

Kelly, D. L., Kane, J. M., Love, R. C., & Cotes, R. O. (2025). FDA eliminates the clozapine REMS — What comes next? JAMA Psychiatry, 82(8), 751–752. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.1155 [opens in a new tab]

Siskind, D., McCartney, L., Goldschlager, R., & Kisely, S. (2016). Clozapine v. first- and second-generation antipsychotics in treatment-refractory schizophrenia: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 209(5), 385–392. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.115.177261 [opens in a new tab]

Siskind, D., Northwood, K., Pillinger, T., Chan, S., Correll, C. U., Cotes, R. O., Every-Palmer, S., Hahn, M., Howes, O. D., Kane, J. M., Kelly, D. L., Korman, N., Lappin, J., Mena, C., Myles, N., McCutcheon, R. A., & Clozapine Delphi Expert Panel. (2025). Absolute neutrophil count and adverse drug reaction monitoring during clozapine treatment: Consensus guidelines from a global Delphi panel. The Lancet Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00098-7 [opens in a new tab]

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025). FDA removes Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) program for the antipsychotic drug clozapine  (Publication No. FDA-188418). https://www.fda.gov/media/188418/download [opens in a new tab]

Instructors

Deanna L. Kelly, PharmD., BCPP

Deanna L. Kelly, Pharm.D., BCPP is the Dr. William and Carol Carpenter Professor of Psychiatry for Mental Illness Research at UMSOM and is currently serving as the Acting Director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. Dr. Kelly received her BS and Doctorate in Pharmacy at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has led and been involved in numerous clinical trials in schizophrenia and severe mental illness and has been active in psychopharmacology research for the past 27 years.

Nicole Errickson, LCSW

Nicole Errickson, LCSW Nicole is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Georgia. She brings over 19 years experience in the social work field, primarily working in school systems as a school social worker and with the McKinney-Vento grant. Over her career, Nicole has had several opportunities to help develop and execute professional development events. Nicole has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Alabama and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.

Social workers completing this course receive 1 clinical continuing education credit.

This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.