Margaret Ellen Balfour MD PhD

Community

Chief Clinical Officer, Crisis Response Center VP for Clinical Innovation & Quality, ConnectionsAZ

5201 Harry Hines BlvdMedicine Services AdministrationDallas, TX 75235
Phone+1 214-590-9042
Fax+1 214-590-2659

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Education & Training

University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterFellowship, Public and Community Psychiatry, 2010 - 2011
University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterResidency, Psychiatry, 2006 - 2010
University of CincinnatiPhD, Neuroscience, 1997 - 2006
University of Cincinnati College of MedicineClass of 2006
University of Cincinnati College of MedicinePh.D., Neuroscience, 2003

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Certifications & Licensure

AZ State Medical License 2014 - 2027
WA State Medical License 2022 - 2027
TX State Medical License 2008 - 2026
MT State Medical License 2023 - 2025
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Psychiatry

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

Medal of Honor Tucson Police Department, 2018
Doctor of the Year National Council for Behavioral Health, 2017
Professional of the Year National Alliance on Mental Illness Dallas, 2010

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Crisis Stabilization Unit Use for Behavioral Health Visits Among Medicaid Enrollees.
K John McConnell, Ching-Wen Wendy Yang, Thomas H A Meath, Amy Edmonds, Benjamin F Miller
JAMA Health Forum. 2026-05-01
Study protocol for a randomized controlled effectiveness trial of THRIVE group and peer coaching to promote suicide recovery in crisis stabilization centers.
Jennifer D Lockman, Anthony R Pisani, M Alexis Kirk, Kimberly A Van Orden, Ian J Cero
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2025-08-01
Behavioral Health Crisis Services: From Policy to Practice.
Margaret E Balfour, Matthew L Goldman
The Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2024-09-01

Journal Articles

Deriving Costs of Service Use Among an Urban Homeless Population
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 1/1/2014
Neuroplasticity in the mesolimbic system induced by natural reward and subsequent reward abstinence
Biological Psychiatry, 1/1/2010
Mixing Pleasures: Review of the effects on drugs on sexual behavior in humans and animal models
Hormones and Behavior, 1/1/2010

Abstracts/Posters

The Impact of Process Re-engineering on Safety and Throughput in a Behavioral Health Crisis Center
National Update on Behavioral Emergencies, Scottsdale, AZ, 1/1/2014
Reducing Restraints Use While Also Lowering Assaults and Injuries: Success Stories From Project BETA
American Psychiatric Association Institute on Psychiatric Services, San Francisco, CA, 1/1/2014
Implementation of a "Psychiatric Activation" Process in an Emergency Department Setting
National Update on Behavioral Emergencies, Orlando, FL, 1/1/2013

Lectures

Overview of Crisis Systems
Center for Education and Research, Metrocare Services, Dallas, TX - 1/30/2014
High Utilizers and Systems Improvement
Center for Education and Research, Metrocare Services, Dallas, TX - 1/20/2014
How Can NorthSTAR Expand the Target Population Beyond Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia?
Dallas, TX - 1/19/2014

Other

Why cutting behavioral health funding won't save taxpayer money: A brief look at the impact on the criminal justice system in Dallas
Legislative Fact Sheet for the Texas Legislature 82nd Session
Austin, TX - 1/1/2011