In Memoriam

 Deborah  J. Allness died at her home in Middleton, Wisconsin on June 19, 2007. Throughout her life, Debbie was blessed with unending curiosity and the unique ability to connect with others in a deeply personal way. In her professional career, she worked tirelessly on behalf of people with mental illness and their families and helped countless individuals for whom hope often had been lost. In Wisconsin and across the United States, she was a major influence in the development of innovative community-based mental health services.

 Debbie earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychiatric social work from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  In 1973 she joined the staff of the Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT), Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison.  This research-based program is dedicated to establishing protocols and standards for team-based services which enable people with serious mental illness to live satisfying lives in the community. Debbie worked for PACT from 1973 to 1986 in roles as a clinical social worker and associate director. She also served as co-director of the PACT Model Dissemination Project to Wisconsin Counties and as co-principal investigator of a major PACT research study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

 From 1986 to 1990 Debbie served as Director of the Office of Mental Health, Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services in Madison. She was responsible for promulgation of standards for Community Support Programs and successfully worked to secure federal Medicaid funding for these programs.