Celebrating the Contributions of Ally Mabry & Bryan Knowles

We are sad to share the news that two long-time members of our School's research staff, Ally Mabry and Bryan Knowles, will be leaving KU at the end of June. Their current KU contract with the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS) will be ending, and Ally and Bryan will continue to serve people receiving mental health and substance use treatment in new roles and settings. Ally will be a senior associate with CIBHS, where she will continue to support Strengths Model implementation in California and beyond. Bryan is pursuing work in the mental health/SUD field.

Continuing the legacy of the previous Center for Mental Health Research and Innovation, Ally and Bryan's work truly helped to build and carry on the School's foundation of strengths through many changes and challenges. Their passion and knowledge for work within the community mental health system and their commitment to individuals receiving mental health services was so inspiring. It has truly been an honor to have these two advocates as part of our School community for so long. They will be greatly missed but we know that they will continue to lift up strengths and spark change and hope in their journeys ahead.

Below you can read more about their individual expertise and contributions.

On Monday, June 28 from Noon to 1:00 p.m. in front of Twente Hall on the Lawrence campus, we will have an open social hour with ice cream treats to celebrate the many contributions of these two long-time members of the research staff and to wish them well in their next endeavors. 

Ally Mabry 

Ally Mabry joined the Center for Mental Health Research and Innovation at the KU School of Social Welfare in 2007. Ally was key in refining the implementation approach for Strengths Model Case Management (SMCM) and expanding the number of high-fidelity sites across the state of Kansas. Ally was also instrumental in refining the initial SMCM fidelity scale to allow more precise measurements of adherence to the model to demonstrate improvement in outcomes. In addition to expanding implementation of the Strengths Model in Kansas, Ally led efforts to implement the model in other states (California, Texas) and countries (New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong). In 2011, Ally was charged with overseeing implementation of all evidence-based practices with the center, including Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT), Individual Placement and Support Model of Supported Employment (IPS-SE), Supported Education, Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), Family Psychoeducation – Kansas Partnership for Families, and Common Ground Shared-Decision Making. In 2016, Ally took on a leadership role as the Principal Investigator of the California Compliance Project, which she has continued to lead through this year.  

Ally has been an invaluable member of the School of Social Welfare. Through numerous transitions and challenges, Ally has been a staunch supporter and advocate of the School community. She was instrumental in supporting the adaptation of SMCM for use with youth, and was always willing to share her time and expertise in community mental health with students and researchers. Additionally, Ally has been an active member of the School’s DEI Council. Ally embodies the Strengths Perspective and lives it out in her work, her interactions with organizations, and her unwavering belief in the potential of people receiving services. 

Bryan Knowles

Bryan joined the Center for Mental Health Research and Innovation at the KU School of Social Welfare in 2006 during the time when the state of Kansas was invested in expanding the use of evidence based best practices (EBP’s) in community mental health centers. Bryan, who was already skilled in the EBP Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT) was hired to help mental health centers become proficient in this practice and in Motivational Interviewing. Bryan’s passion is working with people with co-occurring mental health and substance use diagnoses, and in 2013, he worked with his colleagues to blend Strengths Model Case Management and elements of IDDT to further improve outcomes for people with co-occurring disorders, a practice referred to as Strengths Plus. Bryan is also a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and has provided training to providers around the country and more recently to students of the Integrated Health Scholars Program at the SSW. We will miss Bryan’s sense of humor and his steadfast commitment to improving services for people receiving mental health or substance abuse treatment.  

The KUSSW Scholars Program shared this about Bryan’s work: Bryan has provided training on Motivational Interviewing for the Scholars program for the last four years. This training includes interactive learning, role-plays and practice opportunities where Bryan skillfully models engagement and empathy through his kind feedback and support of our learners. Prior to the pandemic, he was always willing to drive across the state to offer the in-person training in Hays or Garden City in order to provide this amazing hands-on learning experience for all of our students (where we were often joined by professionals from the field who appreciated the opportunity to participate in this training close to home). This past year, Bryan worked hard to successfully adapt the training to a virtual format. “You have what you need and together we will find it” is the part of the spirit of MI that Bryan taught us each year. This spoke to me so much that I made it into a poster that hangs on my office wall. This reminds me that our role as social workers (and educators and researchers) is not to dole out our expert advice but to help to draw out and strengthen what is already within others. I am grateful to Bryan for this reminder and for all he has done for our Scholars!"