Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
The Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is designed to help adults with severe mental illnesses reduce or eliminate their symptoms, function in the community, live independently and reduce hospitalization. Sherry Light, LSCW recalls the start of the program at McNabb:
“I remember fondly the year the initial PACT staff went to Nashville to learn about the program in order to bring it back to Knoxville. I remember riding down with Jerry Vagnier talking about how much excitement there was about implementing this new program. Staff that started the program in Wisconsin trained us. I recall the large manual that went through each responsibility of each team member. Importance was placed on treatment team daily, where we all gave updates and interesting stories we encountered with medication deliveries. I had to be on call and get up in middle of the night to go meet a client to deescalate, try to hospitalize them or get them to the office first thing the next morning to meet with staff.
The PACT staff were all like a family. Candace Allen was our leader; we had a wonderful staff of nurses, vocational rehabilitation professionals, therapists and psychiatrists Dr. David Manning and Dr. John Schulte, all working for the same goal. I am proud to be a part of the birth of PACT at the McNabb Center and be a part of the success it has become over the past 21 years.”
Last year, PACT served 140 clients in Knox County.
