John F. McCarthy

John F. McCarthy is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. He holds significant leadership roles within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), serving as Director of the Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Director of Data and Surveillance for the Suicide Prevention Program within the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and as an Investigator at the VA Center for Clinical Management Research.

Dr. McCarthy's educational background includes:

• B.A. from Brandeis University (1987)
• M.P.H. in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan (1996)
• Ph.D. in Health Services Organization and Policy from the University of Michigan (2002)

With over 21 years of experience focused on Veterans' mental health, Dr. McCarthy's research spans critical areas of mental health services. His expertise encompasses health system access, suicide epidemiology, measurement-based management, medication adherence, serious mental illness, mental health services program evaluation, and suicide predictive modeling. His work primarily addresses access and quality of care among Veterans with mental illness, suicide risk and prevention strategies, mental health program evaluation, and mental health services operations and performance assessment.

Dr. McCarthy's recent publication record demonstrates a strong focus on veteran suicide prevention through data-driven approaches. His research employs sophisticated methodologies including ensemble transfer learning for high-dimensional suicide risk prediction across millions of veterans. He has examined the impact of evidence-based PTSD therapies on suicide risk, seasonal patterns in veteran suicide, and the effects of primary care-mental health integration on care engagement across racial and ethnic groups. His work consistently bridges the gap between research and operational implementation within the VA system.

As a leader in VA mental health research, Dr. McCarthy has secured ongoing funding for mental health services research, program evaluation, and operations work through VA and NIH grants, as well as dedicated Center funding. He provides site leadership for SMITREC's post-doctoral training program and has held national VA scientific leadership roles since 2007, including involvement in Congressional and White House initiatives related to mental health.

Dr. McCarthy directs several key VA initiatives including the Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC) and the National Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Evaluation. His work with the Suicide Prevention Program focuses on data and surveillance systems to enhance the VA's capacity for suicide risk prediction and prevention. These programs represent critical components of the VA's comprehensive approach to addressing mental health challenges among Veterans.