NPA November, 2024 Member Spotlight

Dan Ullman, PhD, MSCP — Honored Member

NPA had the honor of recognizing and thanking Dan Ullman at the 2024 Fall Conference on November 1st, for his many years of loyal and dedicated service, commitment and remarkable contributions supporting NPA, psychology, and psychologists. When presenting the award, Dr. Dave Carver noted that Dr. Ullman served on the Nebraska Board of Psychology including a term as Chair, received the Karl F. Heiser APA Presidential Award for Advocacy in 2002, and received the NPA Dr. James K. Cole Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

Award Inscription
In appreciation of your many years of loyal and dedicated service. Your unwavering commitment, tireless efforts, and remarkable contributions have significantly shaped NPA and our community. Your leadership, integrity, and passion have left an enduring legacy. We celebrate your hard work, perseverance, and the positive impact you have made.

See pictures from the award presentation below, and watch the recording HERE .

Dan Ullman, PhD, MSCP

I have been a member of NPA for 36 years. There were two reasons for joining. NPA was advocating for an update of our licensing law to make it crystal clear we are independent providers who do not require supervision or referral from physicians. Also, early career psychologists were strongly encouraged by mentors and training faculty to join the state and national associations to advocate for our profession.

What do you like most about being a member?
As a member or chair of NPA’s Legislative Committee I was able to influence the passage of legislation that promoted access to behavioral health care. NPA actively opposed legislation that would have interfered with the delivery of psychological services to the public. Our lobbyists rightly pointed out that your influence on public policy is magnified when part of a statewide organization vs. going in as an individual.

NPA was successful in passing a legislative bill that included licensed psychologists in the list of medical providers who could not be discriminated against when applying for medical staff membership and clinical privileges. Long story short, the bill passed but the state hospitals continued to deny psychologists meaningful medical staff membership and privileges, so we (psychologists from the three state hospitals) sued and won a favorable settlement. Thereafter, we served as an equal member on the executive medical staff of the hospital with full privileges. The plaintiffs had a seat at the table. Over time salaries for licensed psychologists improved substantially.

Bottom line: Do not let another profession define our scope of practice. That is the business of the state legislative process, and when necessary, affirmed by the courts.

Have you previously volunteered with NPA (board, committee, task force)?
I have been active on NPA committees or the executive board since 1988. Much of my time was involved with legislative advocacy and continuing education programs. I spearheaded passage of PSYPACT when asked to do so by Dr. Anne Talbot, who was then NPA President. That was a team effort, and we had senators Carol Blood and Tom Brewer as bill sponsors. Another team effort was the introduction of a prescription privileges bill for qualified psychologists. Committee Co-chair Dr. Anne Talbot was able to get her senator, John Stinner, as our bill sponsor. I remain on that committee as a member but have passed the torch to others since I am mostly retired.

I was Chair or Co-chair of the Continuing Education Committee and involved in organizing over 45 CE events. Dr. Ted Delaet was a highly productive Co-chair. We helped bring in prominent experts to the state for our CE programs.

I have been president of NPA and worked to join forces with other behavioral health provider groups or agencies. For example, we worked on prompt pay legislation for providers seeing Medicaid clients. At that time, it was taking months to get reimbursed for services.

I served as APA Council Representative, taking on that privilege following the passing of Dr. James Cole. I am currently a member of the RxP Committee and CE Committee, but not as chair or co-chair.

Where do you now work and what is your role?
I am 90% retired. I work on Mondays performing consultative examinations for Social Security. In addition, I am an alternate Mental Health Board Member in Lancaster County.

Tell us your path to becoming a licensed psychologist.
I was the first in my family to attend college. The psychology faculty at Washburn University inspired me to pursue a doctoral degree. Dr. James Cole at UNL was my primary mentor and a father-figure. Dr. Cole was a role model for many psychologists in Nebraska. Later in my career I became interested in prescription privileges for licensed psychologists with advanced training, so I earned a postdoctoral masters degree in clinical psychopharmacology.

What was your biggest career challenge you have had to overcome?
I was burning the candle at both ends when working full time while taking RxP postdoctoral training and serving as lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit determining psychologists’ status on the medical staff.

What is your favorite place you have traveled to, or what is on your travel bucket list?
My favorite trips are with my wife (Rose) and daughter (Katie), when we get to spend days or weeks together at interesting places. The next family trip will be on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas.

Also, I enjoy outdoor adventures. I recently returned from two weeks of hiking in Canada (Banff, Waterton Lakes, Bugaboo provincial park). I am planning a hiking and slot canyon adventure to the Canyonlands area in Utah for 2025.

Download Member Spotlight PDF: Dan Ullman

Dave Carver, Dan Ullman, Carmen Skare

Dan Ullman Dave Carver & Dan Ullman

Family and Friends

Past NPA Member Spotlights

Sep 2024 - Chelsea Klinkebiel
Aug 2024 - Twila Preston
Jul 2024 - Nicole Schmidt
Jun 2024 - Megan Lawhon
May 2024 - Rick McNeese
Mar. 2024 - Gina May
Feb. 2024 - Jody Trejo
Jan. 2024 - Pamela May-Weeks
June, 2016 - Dennis McNeilly
May, 2016 - Pamela Richardson
April, 2016 - Jerry VanWinkle
February, 2016 - Dave Hansen
January, 2016 - Debra Hope
December, 2015 - Mary Fran Flood
November, 2015 – Shannon Black
October, 2015 – John "Jay" Curran
September, 2015 – Nancy Bradford
July, 2015 – Alayna Schreier
June, 2015 – Joe Swoboda
May, 2015 – Mikel Merritt
January, 2015 — Lyndia Madison
December, 2014 — Mark Hald
October, 2014 — Sarah Schaffer
August, 2014 — Brenda Rohren
July, 2014 — Heath Hodges
June, 2014 — April Davis

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