Susan H. McDaniel, Ph.D., director of UR Medicine鈥檚 Institute for the Family, has been elected 2016 president of the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA is the largest professional organization representing psychology in the United States.

In the coming year, McDaniel will be laying the groundwork for major initiatives she plans to undertake as APA president. Her main focus will be furthering the integration of psychology into all areas of health care, eliminating the distinction between mental and physical care.

鈥淲e have separated the body and the mind as if they are distinct entities and don鈥檛 have a major influence on each other,鈥� says McDaniel, who is also Dr. Laurie Sands Distinguished Professor of Families and Health and associate chair of Family Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. 鈥淭hey are 100-percent connected.鈥�

McDaniel, a family psychologist, has spent much of her career working to expand integrative care at UR Medicine. At the Institute for the Family, she oversees faculty and fellows working in epilepsy, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, family medicine, geriatrics, and, most recently, surgery. Residents in these areas are learning to address mental health issues as they treat their patients鈥� physical ailments 鈥� including problems such as diabetes, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, cancer, and infertility.

鈥淧atients are often much more receptive to mental health care if they can meet the provider right away, rather than wait for a referral and schedule an appointment,鈥� McDaniel says.聽 鈥淭his is just one of the many benefits of integrative care.鈥�

In many cases, McDaniel says, treating problems such as depression and anxiety first can reduce the need for expensive physical diagnostic and treatment procedures in the future. Most clinicians, however, do not have the time or training to adequately deal with their patients鈥� mental health care needs. Including mental health care clinicians on interprofessional care teams, McDaniel says, improves patient and provider satisfaction and lessens health care costs.

鈥淎s one of our leading faculty members, Dr. McDaniel鈥檚 breadth of knowledge and experience were critical to the development of UR Medicine鈥檚 patient- and family-centered care model. Being selected as APA president demonstrates her outstanding, national reputation as well,鈥� Mark B.Taubman, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, says. 鈥淭his is another sign the University of Rochester is leading the way as the nation transforms its health care system.鈥澛�

鈥淎s one of our leading faculty members, Dr. McDaniel鈥檚 breadth of knowledge and experience were critical to the development of UR Medicine鈥檚 patient- and family-centered care model. Being selected as APA president demonstrates her outstanding, national reputation as well,鈥� Mark B.Taubman, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, says. 鈥淭his is another sign the University of Rochester is leading the way as the nation transforms its health care system.鈥澛�

An APA fellow and member of the APA Board of Directors, McDaniel has served on multiple APA task forces, was president of the Society for Family Psychology, chair of APA's Publications & Communications Board, and sat on the association's Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. Among her many awards are the prestigious 2008 Cummings Foundation PSYCHE prize for her contributions to integrated mental and physical healthcare, the 2009 Donald Bloch MD Award for Outstanding Contributions to Collaborative Care, and the Recognition Award from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in 2011.

Author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters, McDaniel was co-editor of Families, Systems & Health聽for 12 years and is an associate editor of APA's flagship journal,聽American Psychologist.