Departmental Affiliations
Affiliated
Research Interests
mental health care leadership; mental health system system change; dissemination and implementation; evidence-based psychotherapy; cognitive behavioral therapy; depression; geriatric mental health care; geropsychology; dementia care; behavioral treatments
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
Texas A&M University
MS
Texas A&M University
Overview
Dr. Karlin is a national leader in transforming mental health care in public and private systems. He is currently VP and Executive Medical Director, Behavioral Health for Highmark Health, the nation's second largest integrated health care delivery and financing network, and is Adjunct Professor in the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He previously served as VP and Chief of Mental Health at EDC, a global consulting firm of 1,300+ staff, where he led EDC’s work with health care systems to broadly disseminate and implement evidence-based psychological treatments, advance mental health care systems change, and transform mental health and dementia care for older adults. Prior to his work at EDC, Dr. Karlin served as National Mental Health Director for Psychotherapy and Psychogeriatrics for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he oversaw the nation’s largest implementation of evidence-based psychological treatments and established new models of care to improve mental health care access and quality for older adults. Dr. Karlin is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is a Past President of the Society of Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Karlin has served as a Scientific Merit Review Board member and an Editorial Board member or reviewer for numerous scientific journals. He has served as a member or chair of a number of national steering committees, advisory groups, and workgroups, including chair of an Institute of Medicine Panel on Implementation Models and Systems. He also has a significant interest in public outreach, particularly on mental health and dementia care issues related to underserved populations, and he has been involved in numerous outreach efforts through national print and television media. He is the recipient of numerous national awards for his work to improve mental health and dementia care. Dr. Karlin is a licensed clinical psychologist and is board-certified (ABPP) in geropsychology.
Dr. Karlin has served as a Scientific Merit Review Board member and an Editorial Board member or reviewer for numerous scientific journals. He has served as a member or chair of a number of national steering committees, advisory groups, and workgroups, including chair of an Institute of Medicine Panel on Implementation Models and Systems. He also has a significant interest in public outreach, particularly on mental health and dementia care issues related to underserved populations, and he has been involved in numerous outreach efforts through national print and television media. He is the recipient of numerous national awards for his work to improve mental health and dementia care. Dr. Karlin is a licensed clinical psychologist and is board-certified (ABPP) in geropsychology.
Honors & Awards
Past-President (2017-2018), President (2016-2017), President-Elect (2015-2016), Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12, American Psychological Association)
Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
Inaugural Award for Outstanding Contributions to Continuing Professional Development in Psychology, Board of Educational Affairs, American Psychological Association
Fellow, American Psychological Association (Divisions 12 and 18)
Who’s Who in the World/Who’s Who in America/Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, 2008-2020
Certificate of Appreciation, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, 2015
Certificate of Appreciation, Deputy Under Secretary for Health Policy and Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014
Board Certified in Geropsychology, American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), 2013
Special Advancement for Achievement, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010, 2011, 2013
Certificate of Appreciation, Office of Patient Care Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2011, 2012, 2013
Certificate of Appreciation, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health Clinical Operations and Management, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013
Superior Performance Award, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Special Contribution Award, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Expert of the Month (May 2011), U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Outstanding Administrator, VA Section, American Psychological Association, 2010
Spotlight Award, Division of Psychologists in Public Service, American Psychological Association, 2010
Commendation from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009
Certificate of Appreciation, Office of Patient Care Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008
Certificate of Appreciation, Geriatrics & Extended Care, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008
Secretary, Society of Clinical Geropsychology, 2006-2008
Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
Inaugural Award for Outstanding Contributions to Continuing Professional Development in Psychology, Board of Educational Affairs, American Psychological Association
Fellow, American Psychological Association (Divisions 12 and 18)
Who’s Who in the World/Who’s Who in America/Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, 2008-2020
Certificate of Appreciation, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, 2015
Certificate of Appreciation, Deputy Under Secretary for Health Policy and Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014
Board Certified in Geropsychology, American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), 2013
Special Advancement for Achievement, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010, 2011, 2013
Certificate of Appreciation, Office of Patient Care Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2011, 2012, 2013
Certificate of Appreciation, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health Clinical Operations and Management, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013
Superior Performance Award, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Special Contribution Award, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Expert of the Month (May 2011), U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Outstanding Administrator, VA Section, American Psychological Association, 2010
Spotlight Award, Division of Psychologists in Public Service, American Psychological Association, 2010
Commendation from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2009
Certificate of Appreciation, Office of Patient Care Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008
Certificate of Appreciation, Geriatrics & Extended Care, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008
Secretary, Society of Clinical Geropsychology, 2006-2008
Select Publications
Selected publications:
- Karlin, B. E., Brown, G. K, Jager-Hyman, S. Green, K. L., Wong, M., Lee, D. S., Bertagnolli, A., & Brumder Ross, T. (2019). Dissemination and implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression in the Kaiser Permanente health care system: Evaluation of initial training and clinical outcomes. Behavior Therapy, 50, 446-458.
- Karlin, B. E., & Wenzel, A. (2018). Evidence-based shared decision-making toolkit for mental health providers. Waltham, MA: Education Development Center, Inc.
- Karlin, B. E., & Cross, G. (2014). From the laboratory to the therapy room: National dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. American Psychologist, 69, 19-33.
- Karlin, B. E., Visnic, S., McGee, J. S., & Teri, L. (2014). Results from the multi-site implementation of STAR-VA— A multi-component psychosocial intervention for managing challenging dementia-related behaviors of Veterans. Psychological Services, 11, 200-208.
- Eftekhari, A., Ruzek, J. I., Crowley, J., Rosen, C., Greenbaum, M. A., & Karlin, B. E. (2013). Effectiveness of national implementation of Prolonged Exposure Therapy in VA care. JAMA Psychiatry, 70, 949-955.