Nicholas A. Cummings (1924-2020).

Abstract

Memorializes Nicholas A. Cummings (1924-2020). In 1958, Nick took the position of Chief of Mental Health for the Northern Kaiser Permanente health system. He retired from Kaiser in 1980. Nick was keenly aware of the significance of the mind-body connection. As a result, he dedicated his career to integrating psychological interventions into the American health care system in order to enhance overall health care. He researched the somaticizing patient. He developed and trained psychologists in Brief, Intermittent Psychotherapy Throughout the Life Cycle. Aware of the need for evidence-based behavioral health treatment, Nick spearheaded the Hawaii Medicaid project from 1981 to 1988. Nick served as the 81st president of the American Psychological Association as well as President of Division 12, Clinical Psychology, and Division 29, Psychotherapy. In 1988, he founded American Biodyne, a trail-blazing carve-out managed mental health care company which provided effective, cost-saving behavioral health care to 14.5 million patients in 50 states. Nick died June 8, 2020. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).