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Deborah Paone


DrPH, MHSA, BS

Dr. Deborah Paone is an independent researcher and President of Paone & Associates, LLC, a firm she founded in 2002 (Minneapolis). Deborah has conducted several multi-year, multi-site implementation evaluations of evidence-based or model programs for older adults and caregivers, examining implementation barriers and facilitators as the programs are translated or disseminated in urban, suburban and rural communities. This has included the translation in 9 community sites within Minnesota of the NYU-CI, Using RE-AIM to evaluate implementation of an evidence-based program: a case example from Minnesota – PubMed (nih.gov), the statewide evaluation of the collective action initiative ACT on Alzheimer’s that spawned Dementia Friendly America, (PDF) ACT on Alzheimer’s Formative Evaluation Report: Leadership Perspectives and Minnesota’s pilot of a cash & counseling program called Consumer-Directed Community Supports (PDF) Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS).

While maintaining her practice, Dr. Paone continues to serve as the Implementation & Evaluation Director-CAPABLE for Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (Baltimore) assisting since 2019 in the national dissemination of this evidence-based program and serving as Co-P.I. with Dr. Sarah Szanton for the CAPABLE Care Partner study to enhance the program for caregivers of participants. Deborah Paone: Faculty Directory See also: CAPABLE, Community Aging in Place, Better Living for Elders.

Deborah also provides consultation to the Special Needs Plan Alliance, a nonprofit leadership organization, where she is the subject matter expert in quality measurement, Model of Care/care coordination and health equity. She leads analysis on these topics and spearheads research projects. She also serves on technical expert groups, such as the RAND/CMS MA Stars TEP and the NQF Health Equity TEP.

Previously, Dr. Paone served as VP for the National Chronic Care Consortium, Director of Aging & LTC Services for the American Hospital Association, and Executive Director of a community services nonprofit, Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness.

Deborah has a Doctor of Public Health (UNC-Chapel Hill), a Master of Health Services Administration (University of Michigan), and a Bachelor in Gerontological Issues in Community Health (University of Rochester). Dr. Paone studies barriers/facilitators of implementation effectiveness at the organizational level. She seeks to serve as a bridge across research and practice to help address silos that impede an integrated approach to care and support across settings, disciplines, and sectors.


Specialties and Expertise
  • Aging
  • Community
  • Disabilities
  • Family
  • Gerontology
  • Health Policy