About
My name is Robin Cummings.
I am the principal of RC3 Associates and am passionate about improving accessibility of health care. I strive to partner with non-profits to design and implement meaningful solutions that improve access to quality care. I am skilled at seeing both the clinical and administrative side of challenges and bringing the two together. Each project involves collaboration with a network of seasoned professionals to complement my expertise and achieve the client’s goal.
Robin Clair Cummings, MSHA is an accomplished executive director and project manager with over 20 years of experience executing state-wide initiatives to improve the quality of healthcare and access to mental health services, especially for those in marginalized communities. In 2019, she launched her own consulting firm where she has been able to partner with public and nonprofit organizations to thoughtfully guide leaders through the full project life cycle from planning and design to implementation and analysis.
She is an influential communicator with a proven track record of success building strong relationships with clients and executive leaders while gaining buy-in and spearheading change management initiatives for a seamless implementation process. ​Robin strives to partner with nonprofit organizations and public agencies to design and develop meaningful programs based on research-based best practices to improve the quality of care and access to mental health services. Her analytical approach helps her to guide organizations through the planning and implementation phases efficiently and effectively while maximizing the return on investment.
Robin earned a Master of Science in Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, as well a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration from James Madison University. A native of Virginia, she loves playing with her family around the Chesapeake Bay, home renovations and good food and company.
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Key Accomplishments
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Spearheaded the VA Telemental Health Initiative that shortens wait times for mental health appointments to an average of 3.6 days from the time of referral and leverages social work students that are working to obtain licensure so they can receive supervised hours towards certification.
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Designed and implemented the VA Mental Health Access Program Guidebook for Pediatricians that provides comprehensive mental health resources to get children and teens adequate care including screening tools, referral assessments and resources, and in office care options. This tool is now available in 5 different languages, the most accessed resource of the VA mental health access program and is being used as a model and template for several other states.
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Successfully created benchmarks for state agencies using the state telehealth plan to offer mental health services for the public currently being used by over 11k physicians to measure program effectiveness, identify areas of opportunity, and discover potential barriers.
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Created a comprehensive curriculum for patients seeking end of life care to help them advocate for a higher quality of care and articulate their needs including individuals with language or other communication barriers.
Project Collaborator
Mara is an independent consultant for health and human resource organizations across the country, specifically focusing on safety net providers and rural health organizations. Before entering the consulting field, Mara served in senior positions with national organizations serving the safety net, including TAP-IN and ECHO. Previously she led the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, the oldest Free Clinic association in the US, and served as Program Director at the Mental Health Association of the New River Valley, where she helped to develop the first free mental health clinic in Virginia and a court-approved educational seminar that served as a state model. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Child Development from Virginia Tech and her Master of Social Work degree and Leadership Certificate in Nonprofit Management from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
