High-quality, cost-effective, customized behavioral health solutions that make the most efficient use of available resources, whether in the public or private markets.
CXNS Health Strategies is the expert consulting division of Connections Health Solutions. Rooted in crisis services, our parent company offers a range of psychosocial services, as well as medication-assisted treatments, to help patients achieve stability in the least restrictive setting possible.
A nationally recognized leader in managed behavioral health systems, Dr. Carson has extensive leadership experience, as well as a strong background in crisis services. In 2001, he pioneered the creation of a crisis center in Dallas, Texas that was recognized by Mental Health America for its “outstanding contributions to community mental health.” A native of Oklahoma, Dr. Carson received his MD from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and earned his MBA from the University of Arizona.
Robert Williamson, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer for Connections Health Solutions, graduated from The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He has over twenty years of experience in emergency psychiatric services. Through his career he has been instrumental in the development of six psychiatric emergency centers.
A leader in quality improvement and behavioral health crisis services, Dr. Balfour was named Doctor of the Year by the National Council for Behavioral Health for her work at the Crisis Response Center in Tucson, where she led an organizational change initiative that greatly improved the quality and timeliness of care. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and frequently publishes and speaks on topics including outcome measurement, emergency psychiatry, and law enforcement responses to mental illness.
Thomas has been working in the mental health field for more than 40 years. Prior to joining CXNS Health Strategies, he was CEO at Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis and Green Oaks Hospital in Dallas, where he also established the NorthSTAR program – a one-of-a-kind psychiatric emergency room that operated 24/7 and serves seven counties. Thomas is well-known for his dedication to quality care, consumer choice, open access and community support. Over the years, he has received several and various awards for contributions to the community. His expertise and reputation enable him to serve as an advisor to other senior management at CXNS and in the local behavioral health community.
As an experienced Consultant, Elizabeth has demonstrated tremendous success working in environments in which collaboration and problem-solving play a central role. Prior to joining CXNS Health Strategies, she worked as an Advisory Consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP in the firm’s Financial Services and Anti-Money Laundering practice. She obtained a BA in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, focusing her studies on healthcare policy, public health and economics. She combines her consulting background with her passion for healthcare to contribute to the CXNS team.
Chris Carson, MD, MBA
Robert Williamson, MD
Margaret (Margie) Balfour, MD PhD
Thomas M. Collins
Elizabeth Oliva
