Debbie Rathert, M.S.W.

          Debbie Rathert is the Disaster Services Coordinator for the Missouri State
          Department of Mental Health (DMH). She has held this position since
          January of 1998. She began working at DMH in October 1994 overseeing
          and monitoring one of several flood-related grants. In 1996 she transitioned 
          into managed cares and back into disaster-related activities acting as
          the DMH representative to the Governor's Disaster Recovery Partnership
          (DRP). She is Chairperson for the Special Populations Planning Workgroup
          of the DRP. As the Disaster Services Coordinator, she is responsible
          for coordinating statewide disaster mental health response for Missouri.
          Included in this responsibility is updating the DMH emergency operations
          plan which involves extensive coordination with the American Red Cross
          and Critical Incident Stress Management providers, among others. Ms Rathert
          received her B.S. in Special Education and an M.S.W. in Planning and
          Administration from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

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