Dr. Karen Patton is a licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in School Psychology from the University of Georgia. During her graduate studies, Dr. Patton worked in both school and clinical settings. She completed her doctoral internship as a school psychologist with the Newark Public Schools in New Jersey, receiving training and experience across all grade levels and special programs including classrooms for children with emotional and behavioral disabilities, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and multiple disabilities. After completing her training, Dr. Patton spent 10 years as a school psychologist with public charter schools in Newark, obtaining extensive experience in psychological and educational testing, functional behavior assessment and behavior plans, positive behavior intervention and support, and special education programming and compliance. She has served as a leader on multidisciplinary teams responsible for determining eligibility and appropriate educational services. Dr. Patton enjoys working with both families and schools to develop and implement the most effective, child-centered, individualized education programs and support plans.
After relocating to Birmingham with her family, Dr. Patton joined the Behavioral Pediatric Institute of Alabama in October of 2022. Her work centers on providing school-based consultation, independent educational evaluations, and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for concerns related to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder, as well as other behavior and mood-based concerns. She strives to deliver clarity and comfort through the evaluation process and provide recommendations that empower and guide families to appropriate treatment and next steps. Dr. Patton has refined relationship-building skills and extensive experience working collaboratively with a diverse population of school-based staff, children, and families. She is committed to supporting emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of children through evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and advocacy.
Dr. Patton lives in Birmingham with her husband and their two children. She enjoys spending time with family, volunteering with her childrens’ schools, running and staying active, reading, and exploring all that Birmingham has to offer.