PSYCHE Award

Award Background

The Cummings PSYCHE Award was established in 1995 by The Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation to honor pioneers whose advancements in behavioral healthcare have significantly contributed to its integration into nontraditional healthcare settings. Recognizing the evolving role of mental health professionals as Behavioral Care Providers (BCPs) in nontraditional healthcare settings, the award celebrates individuals that have made groundbreaking contributions to behavioral health and integrated healthcare.

Past recipients include esteemed leaders in behavioral health such as Dr. Arnold Lazarus (father of behavior therapy), Dr. Aaron T. Beck (father of cognitive therapy), and Dr. Leonard Stein (developer of the Madison Model for community-based treatment of chronic mental illness). Other honorees include pioneers in integrated healthcare, brief therapy, and managed behavioral care.

The award is named in honor of Drs. Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings. Nicholas Cummings was a visionary in psychology-driven behavioral health. As Chief of Mental Health for the Kaiser Permanente Health System (1959-1979), Dr. Cummings developed the Biodyne Model, a patient-centered, whole-person approach to healthcare that emphasizes collaboration among medical practitioners. He also founded American Biodyne, the nation’s first and only psychology-driven managed behavioral health organization, serving over 25 million enrollees. Dorothy Cummings spent much of her career as a social worker in the San Francisco and Sacramento public schools. After her retirement from social work, she became a philanthropist.

Award Purpose

The PSYCHE Award aims to recognize individuals who have demonstrated innovation, leadership, and a measurable impact in behavioral health and its integration into healthcare systems. Recipients are those whose work has paved the way for sustainable, patient-centered mental and behavioral health care.

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees must meet one or more of the following criteria:
✅ Psychologists, healthcare professionals or researchers, advancing integrated behavioral health in primary care and/or other innovative settings.
✅ Individuals that have developed innovative programs, research, or policy initiatives that improve integrated mental healthcare delivery.
✅ Professionals whose work has a measurable, long-term impact on integrated behavioral health services.
✅ Leaders in the field of psychotherapy, managed behavioral healthcare, or interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare settings.

Nomination & Selection Process

• Nominations: Individuals may be nominated by peers or self-nominated by submitting the application.
• Selection Committee: A panel of experts including behavioral health, psychology, and integrated care will review applications and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors.
• Evaluation Criteria: Applications will be evaluated based on impact, innovation, sustainability, and alignment with the Foundation’s mission.

Award Details

🏆 Recognition & Prize: The award includes a monetary prize $50,000 and formal recognition at the Foundation’s Awards Banquet.
📅 Award Presentation: Welcome Reception 9/2/26; Award Banquet 9/3/26
📜 Application Deadline: April 10, 2026

“We will select not necessarily the ‘best’ applicant, but an applicant truly worthy of the award—someone whose work exemplifies transformative impact and aligns deeply with our mission.”