Scott Simpson, MD, MPH

Professional Titles

• Director, Division of Community, Population, and Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry

Recognitions

• Denver Health Organizational Award for Quality, Safety, and Service (second place), Denver Health (2018)
• Denver Health Organizational Award for Growth (first place), Denver Health (2018)
• Faculty Winner, University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry Poster Session, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry (2018)
• Hero of the Heart Award, Denver Health (2018)
• Rymer Endowment Innovation Award, University of Colorado School of Medicine Academy of Medical Educators (2017)
• Michael Weissberg Teaching Award, University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry (2016)
• Star Award, Denver Health (2015)
• Award for Clinical Research Excellence, University of Washington Psychiatry Residency (2013)
• Resident of the Year, American Association for Emergency Psychiatry (2013)
• Third Place Poster Award, Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Annual Meeting (2019)
• Dlin/Fischer Research Award, Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (2020)
• Stoudemire Innovations in Education Award, Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (2021)
• First Place Poster Award, Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Annual Meeting (2021)
• Dorfman Journal Paper Award for Original Research, Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (2022)
• Master Educator, Association for Academic Psychiatry (2022)
• Special Recognition Award, Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (2023)
• Academic Excellence Award, Denver Health Medical Staff (2023)
• Distinguished Fellowship, American Psychiatric Association (2022)
• Outstanding Achievement Award, Colorado Psychiatric Society (2024)

Publications

• Simpson SA, Monroe C. Implementing and Evaluating a Standard of Care for Clinical Evaluations in Emergency Psychiatry. J Emerg Med. 2018 Oct;55(4):522-529.e2. PubMed PMID: 30170836
• Simpson SA. A Survey of Clinical Approaches to Suicide Risk Assessment for Patients Intoxicated on Alcohol. Psychosomatics. 2018 Jul 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30093244
• Cahser GA, Gagnon K, Simpson SA. Integrated behavioral health in the pediatric emergency department: program development, implementation, and future directions. Journal of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry 2018;Winter:9-14.
• Simpson SA. Necessity is the mother of invention: emergency psychiatry’s era of innovation. Psychiatr Times 2018;35(8):9-11.
• Simpson SA. A Single-session Crisis Intervention Therapy Model for Emergency Psychiatry. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2019 Feb;3(1):27-32. PubMed PMID: 30775659
• Simpson SA. A Survey of Clinical Approaches to Suicide Risk Assessment for Patients Intoxicated on Alcohol. Psychosomatics. 2019 Mar - Apr;60(2):197-203. PubMed PMID: 30093244
• Simpson SA, Goodwin M, Thurstone C. Implementation and Evaluation of a Military-Civilian Partnership to Train Mental Health Specialists. Mil Med. 2019 Jul 1;184(7-8):e184-e190. PubMed PMID: 30690507
• Kromka W, Simpson S. A Narrative Review of Predictors of Adult Mental Health Emergency Department Return Visits and Interventions to Reduce Repeated Use. J Emerg Med. 2019 Nov;57(5):671-682. PubMed PMID: 31610908
• Kroll DS, Monroe C, Dunn T, Simpson SA. Teaching leadership to practicing psychiatrists. Physician Leadersh J. 2019;6(5):60-5.
• Simpson SA, Sakai J, Rylander M. A Free Online Video Series Teaching Verbal De-escalation for Agitated Patients. Acad Psychiatry. 2019 Dec 20. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31863414
• Betz ME, Knoepke CE, Simpson S, Siry BJ, Clement A, Saunders T, Johnson R, Azrael D, Boudreaux ED, Omeragic F, Adams LM, Almond S, Juarez-Colunga E, Matlock DD. An Interactive Web-Based Lethal Means Safety Decision Aid for Suicidal Adults (Lock to Live): Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Jan 29;22(1):e16253. PubMed PMID: 32012056
• Simpson SA, Severn D. Admission to an inpatient psychiatry unit or a medical unit? Consider 3Ms and 3 Ps. Curr Psychiatr 2018;17(3):13.
• Simpson SA. A single-session crisis intervention therapy model for emergency psychiatry. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2019; epub ahead of print: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4s82w626
• Wolf C, Curry A, Nacht J, Simpson SA. Management of Alcohol Withdrawal in the Emergency Department: Current Perspectives. Open Access Emerg Med. 2020;12:53-65. PubMed PMID: 32256131
• Cabrera MA, Karamsetty L, Simpson SA. Coronavirus and Its Implications for Psychiatry: A Rapid Review of the Early Literature. Psychosomatics. 2020 Nov - Dec;61(6):607-615. PubMed PMID: 32943211
• Cao SS, Dunham SI, Simpson SA. Prescribing Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorders in the ED: A Review of Best Practices, Barriers, and Future Directions. Open Access Emerg Med. 2020;12:261-274. PubMed PMID: 33116962
• Simpson SA, Goans C, Loh R, Ryall K, Middleton MCA, Dalton A. Suicidal ideation is insensitive to suicide risk after emergency department discharge: Performance characteristics of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener. Acad Emerg Med. 2020 Dec 21. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33346922
• Diurba S, Johnson RL, Siry BJ, Knoepke CE, Suresh K, Simpson SA, Azrael D, Ranney ML, Wintemute GJ, Betz ME. Lethal Means Assessment and Counseling in the Emergency Department: Differences by Provider Type and Personal Home Firearms. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2020 Oct;50(5):1054-1064. PubMed PMID: 32598076
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Simpson SA, Sakai J, Rylander M. A Free Online Video Series Teaching Verbal De-escalation for Agitated Patients. Acad Psychiatry. 2020 Apr;44(2):208-211. PubMed PMID: 31863414
• Simpson SA, Chwastiak LA, Andrews SR, Bienvenu OJ, Adler Cohen MA, Cozza KL, DiMartini A, Fernandez-Robles C, Grimaldi JAR, Isenberg-Grzeda E, King Iv F, Kontos N, Luchsinger W, Munjal S, Pathare A, Pereira LF, Philbrick K, Rosen JH, Schmelzer NA, Zimbrean PC. Updates in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: 2019. Psychosomatics. 2020 Sep - Oct;61(5):450-455. PubMed PMID: 32665149
• Simpson SA, Dumas A, McDowell AK, Westmoreland P. Novel Coronavirus and Related Public Health Interventions Are Negatively Impacting Mental Health Services. Psychosomatics. 2020 Sep-Oct;61(5):568-571. PubMed PMID: 32331770
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Simpson SA. A Single-session Crisis Intervention Therapy Model for Emergency Psychiatry. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2019 Feb;3(1):27-32. PubMed PMID: 30775659
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Simpson SA, Hordes M, Blum J, Rinehart D, Al-Tayyib A. Barriers to Engagement in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment After Buprenorphine Induction. J Addict Med. 2021 Dec 23. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34954744
• Simpson SA, Loh RM, Cabrera M, Cahn M, Gross A, Hadley A, Lawrence RE. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Emergency Service Volume and Hospital Admissions. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2021 Nov-Dec;62(6):588-594. PubMed PMID: 34058432
• Lawrence RE, Fuchs B, Krumheuer A, Perez-Coste M, Loh R, Simpson SA, Stanley B. Self-harm During Visits to the Emergency Department: A Qualitative Content Analysis. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2021 Oct 22. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34695618
• Curry A, Simpson S. Cross-training Social Workers to Work in a Psychiatric Emergency Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Acad Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;45(5):603-607. PubMed PMID: 33409941
• Simpson SA, Loh R, Goans CRR, Ryall K, Middleton M, Dalton A. Suicide and Self-Harm Outcomes Among Psychiatric Emergency Service Patients Diagnosed As Malingering. J Emerg Med. 2021 Oct;61(4):381-386. PubMed PMID: 34210531
• Simpson SA, Bienvenu OJ, Andrews SR, Close JS, Adler Cohen MA, Fernandez-Robles C, Francis BA, Gandhi J, Gangopadhyay M, Gershengoren L, Grimaldi JA, Isenberg-Grzeda E, Key RG, Kiong T, Kontos N, Loh RM, Luchsinger W, Munjal S, Niazi SK, Nichols NA, Pathare A, Pereira LF, Shim JJ, Tobin MB, Zimbrean PC. Identifying the Most Important Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Publications in 2020 Using a Novel Literature Assessment Instrument. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2021 Sep-Oct;62(5):493-500. PubMed PMID: 34048960
• Zwick T, Sharp C, Severn D, Simpson SA. Malingering in the Emergency Setting. Cureus. 2021 Jun;13(6):e15670. PubMed PMID: 34277261
• Simpson SA, Goans C, Loh R, Ryall K, Middleton MCA, Dalton A. Suicidal ideation is insensitive to suicide risk after emergency department discharge: Performance characteristics of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener. Acad Emerg Med. 2021 Jun;28(6):621-629. PubMed PMID: 33346922
• Cabrera MA, Karamsetty L, Simpson SA. Coronavirus and Its Implications for Psychiatry: A Rapid Review of the Early Literature. Psychosomatics. 2020 Nov - Dec;61(6):607-615. PubMed PMID: 32943211
• Lee DP, Simpson SA. A Three-Step, Single Session Therapy Intervention for COVID-Related Anxiety in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Cureus. 2020 Dec 29;12(12):e12371. PubMed PMID: 33527052
• Simpson SA, Karam S, Roosevelt G. Consultee satisfaction with integrated behavioral health in a pediatric emergency department. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Jan-Feb;68:104-105. PubMed PMID: 33339606
• Casher GA, Sutton B, Roosevelt G, Simpson SA. Evaluation of an Integrated Psychology Service in a Pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Jan 11. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34137565
• Novoa KC, Dunn T, Curry A, Froude R, Simpson SA. Limitations of Traditional Models for Medical Decision-Making Capacity and Ethical Clinical Practice in Light of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Cureus. 2021 Apr 27;13(4):e14716. PubMed PMID: 34055555
• Simpson SA, Loh RM, Goans CRR. New data on suicide risk assessment in the emergency department reveal the need for new approaches in research and clinical practice. Psychol Med. 2021 May 19;:1-2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34008485
• Bonfiglio G, Loh R, Simpson SA, Fish LE. Housing Status as a Predictor for Outpatient Care Following an Emergency or Urgent Care Encounter with a Behavioral Health Diagnosis: A Multivariable Analysis. Community Ment Health J. 2022 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36454478
• Thurstone C, Loh R, Piatz C, Simpson SA. Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Diagnosis Correlates With Hospitalization After an Emergency Department Visit. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2022 Oct 1;38(10):e1590-e1593. PubMed PMID: 36066586
• Lawrence RE, Krumheuer A, Loh R, Stanley B, Simpson SA. Persons Who Engage in Self-Harm While in the Emergency Department: A Case-Control Analysis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2022 Oct 1;210(10):736-740. PubMed PMID: 36179373
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 16. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Wolf C, Loh RM, Camfield K, Rylander M. Evaluation of the BEAT Meth Intervention for Emergency Department Patients with Methamphetamine Psychosis. J Addict Med. 2022 Jul 8. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 35802766
• Simpson SA, Shy BD, Loh RM. More Than Suicide: Mortality After Emergency Psychiatric Care and Implications for Practice. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2022 Jul-Aug;63(4):354-362. PubMed PMID: 35017123
• Simpson SA, Hordes M, Blum J, Rinehart D, Al-Tayyib A. Barriers to Engagement in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment After Buprenorphine Induction. J Addict Med. 2022 Jul-Aug 01;16(4):479-482. PubMed PMID: 34954744
• Lawrence RE, Fuchs B, Krumheuer A, Perez-Coste M, Loh R, Simpson SA, Stanley B. Self-harm During Visits to the Emergency Department: A Qualitative Content Analysis. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2022 May-Jun;63(3):225-233. PubMed PMID: 34695618
• Simpson SA, Loh R, Goans CRR, Ryall K, Middleton M, Dalton A. Reply to Letter to the Editor. J Emerg Med. 2022 Apr;62(4):570-571. PubMed PMID: 35065864
• Casher GA, Sutton B, Roosevelt G, Simpson SA. Evaluation of an Integrated Psychology Service in a Pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2022 Feb 1;38(2):e697-e702. PubMed PMID: 34137565
• Curry A, Simpson S. Cross-training Social Workers to Work in a Psychiatric Emergency Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Acad Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;45(5):603-607. PubMed PMID: 33409941
• Simpson SA, Loh RM, Cabrera M, Cahn M, Gross A, Hadley A, Lawrence RE. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Emergency Service Volume and Hospital Admissions. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2021 Nov-Dec;62(6):588-594. PubMed PMID: 34058432
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Bono C, Hadley A, Ravindranath D, Owen JR, Simpson SA. C-L Case Conference: The Case of a 34-Year-Old Male Veteran with Suicidal Ideation in the Context of Alcohol Intoxication. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Sep-Oct;64(5):473-479. PubMed PMID: 36868361
• Simpson SA, Loh R, Elliott L, Everhart R, Bass C, Bol K, Boylls S, Podewils L. A Mortality Surveillance Collaboration Between a Health System and Public Health Department. Am J Public Health. 2023 Sep;113(9):943-946. PubMed PMID: 37410981
• Simpson SA, Schimpf M, Fox E. Realizing the promise of trauma-informed care through hospital staff support programs. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2023 Aug;4(4):e13029. PubMed PMID: 37600904
• Bonfiglio G, Loh R, Simpson SA, Fish LE. Housing Status as a Predictor for Outpatient Care Following an Emergency or Urgent Care Encounter with a Behavioral Health Diagnosis: A Multivariable Analysis. Community Ment Health J. 2023 Jul;59(5):826-833. PubMed PMID: 36454478
• Zimbrean PC, Andrews SR, Hussain F, Fireman M, Kuntz K, Niazi SK, Simpson SA, Soeprono T, Winder GS, Jowsey-Gregoire SG. ACLP Best Practice Guidance: Evaluation and Treatment of Depression in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jul-Aug;64(4):357-370. PubMed PMID: 37003570
• Simpson SA, Takeshita J. Better Science for Better Emergency Psychiatry: A New Section for JACLP. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Mar-Apr;64(2):103-105. PubMed PMID: 36764485
• Simpson SA, Loh RM, Goans CRR. New data on suicide risk assessment in the emergency department reveal the need for new approaches in research and clinical practice. Psychol Med. 2023 Feb;53(3):1122-1123. PubMed PMID: 34008485
• Rowan SE, Haukoos J, Kamis KF, Hopkins E, Gravitz S, Lyle C, Al-Tayyib AA, Gardner EM, Galbraith JW, Hsieh YH, Lyons MS, Rothman RE, White DAE, Morgan JR, Linas BP, Sabel AL, Wyles DL. The Determining Effective Testing in Emergency Departments and Care Coordination on Treatment Outcomes (DETECT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) Linkage-to-Care Trial: rationale and design of an emergency department-based randomized clinical trial of linkage-to-care strategies for hepatitis C. Trials. 2023 Jan 27;24(1):63. PubMed PMID: 36707909
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Wolf C, Loh RM, Camfield K, Rylander M. Evaluation of the BEAT Meth Intervention for Emergency Department Patients with Methamphetamine Psychosis. J Addict Med. 2023 Jan-Feb 01;17(1):67-73. PubMed PMID: 35802766
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Goans CRR, Loh RM, Ryall KA, Middleton M, Dalton A. Use of an Agitation Measure to Screen for Suicide and Self-Harm Risk Among Emergency Department Patients. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry. 2023 Jan-Feb;64(1):3-12. PubMed PMID: 35850464
• Simpson SA, Loh R, Goans CRR, Ryall K, Middleton M, Dalton A. Reply to Letter to the Editor. J Emerg Med. 2022 Apr;62(4):570-571. PubMed PMID: 35065864
• Thurstone C, Loh R, Piatz C, Simpson SA. Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Diagnosis Correlates With Hospitalization After an Emergency Department Visit. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2022 Oct 1;38(10):e1590-e1593. PubMed PMID: 36066586

Professional Memberships

• Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Fellow
• American Psychiatric Association, Distinguished Fellow
• Colorado Psychiatric Society, Liaison for Disaster Psychiatry
• American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, Director of Research

Practice Locations

• Denver Health Medical Center
• University of Colorado Hospital

Specialty Information

• Psychiatry, Board Certification (2013)
• Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Board Certification (2015)
• Addiction Medicine, Board Certification (2015)

• Substance Abuse
• Mental Health and Behavior