Gregory K. Brown, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry
Director, Penn Center for the Prevention of Suicide, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
Clinical Psychologist, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania
Diversity Search Advisor, University of Pennsylvania
Co-Director, Penn Innovation in Suicide Prevention Implementation Research (INSPIRE) Center, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
Department: Psychiatry
Contact information
Department of Psychiatry
Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania
3535 Market Street, Room 3039
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania
3535 Market Street, Room 3039
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Office: 215-898-4104
Publications
Education:
B.S. (Psychology)
Denison University , 1981.
M.S. (Clinical Psychology)
University of Bridgeport , 1983.
Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology)
Vanderbilt University, 1987.
Permanent linkB.S. (Psychology)
Denison University , 1981.
M.S. (Clinical Psychology)
University of Bridgeport , 1983.
Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology)
Vanderbilt University, 1987.
Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Brown is an internationally renowned expert in suicide prevention whose work has led to transformational advances in the treatment of suicidal individuals. His research aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative, targeted interventions designed to reduce vulnerability factors associated with suicide behavior in high risk populations and to examine and improve the implementation of evidence-based treatments into “real world” settings to prevent suicide.Specifically, Dr. Brown is the developer, along with his colleagues, of two clinical interventions for individuals at risk for suicide including the Safety Planning Intervention and Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention. The Safety Planning Intervention is an evidence-based, brief suicide prevention strategy that has been used in research and widely disseminated in health care settings, including the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). He also developed of one of the few existing evidence-based psychotherapy interventions, Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention, which has been shown to prevent suicide attempts among individuals at high risk for suicide.
Dr. Brown is the Principal Investigator/Co-Investigator on research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense. He is the author of numerous scientific publications in the area of suicide prevention and he has received several awards for his contributions to the science of suicide prevention. He currently serves on scientific advisory boards for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Cohen Veterans Network.
Description of Other Expertise
Dr. Brown provides clinical training for clinicians in suicide assessment and risk management, cognitive behavior therapy for depression and suicide prevention.Selected Publications
Mandel, AA, Revzina, O., Jessani, Z, Brown, GK: Revised attentional fixation on suicide experiences questionnaire and its relationship with suicidal ideation and behavior: A cross-sectional study. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior 52(6): 1096-1109, Dec 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1111/sltb.12904.Brown, GK, Stanley, B: Challenges and promises of brief interventions to decrease the risk of suicide after psychiatric hospitalization. Joint Commission Journal of Quality and Patient Safety 48(10): 497-499, Oct 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.07.004.
O'Connor, RC, Smillie, S, McClelland, H, Lundy, JM, Stewart, C, Syrett, S, Gavigan, M, McConnachie, A, Stanley, B, Smith, M, Brown, GK, Stanley, B, Simpson, SA: SAFETEL: a pilot randomised controlled trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a safety planning and telephone follow-up intervention to reduce suicidal behaviour. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 8(156): 1-23, July 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1186/s40814-022-01081-5.
Rudd, BN, George, JM, Snyder, SE, Whyte, M, Cliggitt, L, Weyler, R, Brown, GK: Harnessing quality improvement and implementation science to support the implementation of suicide prevention practices in juvenile detention. Psychotherapy 59(2): 150-156, Jun 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1037/pst0000377.
Becker-Haimes EM, Klein CC, Frank HE, Oquendo MA, Jager-Hyman S, Brown GK, Brady M, & Barnett ML: Clinician maladaptive anxious avoidance in the context of implementation of evidence-based interventions: A commentary. Frontiers in Health Sciences 2: 1-10, Jun 2022 Notes: doi: 10.3389/frhs.2022.833214.
Spruch-Feiner A, Labouliere CD, Brodsky B, Green KL, Brown GK, Vasan P, Cummings A, Layman D, Monahan MF, Galfalvy H, Rahman M, Kammer J, Wainberg ML, Nicholson T, Leckman-Westin E, Finnerty M, & Stanley B.: Effects of patient suicide on professional practice among mental health providers. Journal of Psychiatric Practice 28(3): 184-192, May 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1097/PRA.0000000000000626.
Sullivan SR, Myhre K, Mitchell EL, Monahan M, Khazanov G, Spears AP, Gromatsky M, Walsh S, Goodman A, Jager-Hyman S, Green KL, Brown GK, Stanley B, & Goodman M.: Suicide and telehealth treatments: A PRISMA scoping review. Archive of Suicide Research 9: 1-21, Feb 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1080/13811118.2022.2028207.
Cordisco Tsai L, Carlson C, Baylosis R, Hentschel E, Nicholson T, Eleccion J, Ubaldo J, Stanley B, Brown GK, Wainberg M.: Practitioner experiences responding to suicide risk for survivors of human trafficking in the Philippines. Qualitative Health Research 32(3): 556-570, Feb 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1177/10497323211062858.
Rahman M, Leckman-Westin E, Stanley B, Kammer J, Layman D, Labouliere CD, Cummings A, Vasan P, Vega K, Green KL, Brown GK, Finnerty M, Galfalvy H.: Predictors of intentional self-harm among Medicaid mental health clinic clients In New York. Journal of Affective Disorder 299: 698-706, Feb 2022 Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.035.
Stanley, B., Brown, G. K. (with MacRae, F., Rotolo, C. A., Hughes, G., Mina, L. & Barry, C. N.): VA Safety Planning Intervention Manual. Washington, DC. US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2022.