Reimagining Involuntary Crisis Response Through Partnership: The Connections & Prince William County Case Study 

Reimagining Involuntary Crisis Response Through Partnership: The Connections & Prince William County Case Study 

Behavioral health crises often require coordination across community behavioral health services, law enforcement, and health care organizations. That coordination becomes particularly complex when an individual requires involuntary evaluation or treatment. 

For executive teams, the challenge is designing a crisis response system that balances public safety requirements with timely access to appropriate, person-centered behavioral health care. Doing so requires clearly defined roles, effective communication, and coordinated pathways that prevent individuals from unnecessarily cycling through emergency departments, law enforcement, and other parts of the crisis system. 

In this one-hour live presentation, Alexis Mapes, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Connections Health Solutions, and Heather Baxter, Behavioral Health Program Manager at Prince William County Community Services, will present how Prince William County partnered with Connections Health Solutions and local law enforcement agencies to improve how individuals in crisis access care while reducing pressure on emergency departments and public safety resources. 

The speakers will discuss how roles were defined, communication was improved, and new pathways were developed to help individuals receive timely behavioral health assessment, stabilization, and treatment. 

What This Case Study Explores  

• How Prince William County and Connections Health Solutions built a collaborative model that balances public safety with compassionate care 

• Key implementation lessons, challenges encountered, and strategies that helped strengthen collaboration across systems 

What Executive Attendees Will Learn  

• How to identify strategies for improving coordination and communication across behavioral health and public safety systems 

• How to achieve strategic outcomes while strengthening crisis care systems within communities 

• Practical ideas for improving crisis response, developing stronger partnerships with law enforcement, and creating more efficient pathways for individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies 

Featured Speakers

Alexis Mapes, LPC

Vice President of Clinical Operations, Connections Health Solutions

Alexis E. Mapes, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor and behavioral health executive with more than 20 years of experience across crisis services, clinical operations, community-based care, and program development. She currently serves as vice president of clinical operations for Connections Health Solutions, where she leads facility‑level strategy, quality improvement, and interdisciplinary clinical service delivery across Northern Virginia. Alexis has extensive experience overseeing 24/7 crisis teams, launching new behavioral health facilities, strengthening mobile crisis and co‑response programs, and guiding system‑wide transformation efforts in both Virginia and Washington, D.C. Her leadership includes developing crisis intervention protocols, improving data‑driven decision making, and building effective partnerships across behavioral health, healthcare, and public safety sectors. Her work centers on improving access to timely, trauma‑informed crisis care, advancing operational excellence, and supporting communities through responsive, innovative behavioral health systems.

Heather Baxter, LPC Emergency Services

Behavioral Health Program Manager, Prince William County Community Services

Heather Baxter, LPC is a licensed professional counselor and behavioral health leader with more than 15 years of experience across crisis services, inpatient behavioral health, community-based care, and clinical program development. She currently serves in a leadership role overseeing emergency behavioral health services for Prince William County, Virginia and has extensive experience in crisis response, systems transformation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Throughout her career, Heather has led initiatives including regional crisis response redesign, 988 integration, mobile crisis expansion, cross-agency public safety partnerships, and the implementation of a Crisis Receiving Center. Her work focuses on strengthening behavioral health systems, improving access to crisis care, and developing effective partnerships across behavioral health, healthcare, and public safety.