Today we’d like to introduce you to Christi Davidson.
Hi Christi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I earned my bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Crichton College. I later pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Union University, followed by a second graduate degree in Education (Ed.S.) with a specialization in Community College Teaching from Arkansas State University. With a continued desire to grow academically and professionally, I also completed doctoral coursework in educational leadership. My educational journey has always been guided by a sincere desire to better serve others through leadership, learning, and community engagement.
In 2013, I founded Customized Medical Needs, LLC, to serve rural communities through rehabilitative healthcare services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, skilled nursing, and social work. As we worked with patients, I quickly realized that many individuals struggled to fully adhere to their care plans due to complex life circumstances. Recognizing these challenges, we shifted our focus more intentionally toward Shelby County, where the needs were significant and where we believed we could make a meaningful difference. The name “Customized” truly reflects our approach—meeting people where they are and working creatively and compassionately to help them overcome barriers to care.
In 2017, we opened a clinic in an underserved community. During the first month, I noticed that many individuals coming to our clinic were complaining of physical pain, but it became clear that many were actually experiencing withdrawal symptoms from opioids and other substances such as heroin and methamphetamines. Witnessing this reality deeply impacted me. I felt compelled to respond in a way that could provide real help. As a result, we applied for and received licensure from the State of Tennessee to operate as a non-residential alcohol and substance abuse intensive outpatient treatment facility. In 2018, we were granted a license to operate an inpatient rehabilitation facility, allowing us to continue serving individuals who needed more structured care.
Also in 2017, Customized Medical Needs was honored to receive certification from the U.S. Department of Labor as a registered apprenticeship site, allowing us to provide structure, training, and leadership opportunities for individuals pursuing careers as medical assistants.
In 2023, while serving as the Director of Operations for Customized Veterans Group, I had the privilege of submitting a proposal to the Memphis and Shelby County Commission to expand access to healthcare and mental health services in the Binghampton community after our offices relocated there. In 2024, through the combined efforts of Customized Medical Needs and Customized Veterans Group, we were blessed to receive funding to open the city’s second ShelbyCares location, ShelbyCares Binghampton.
ShelbyCares was designed to create a judgment-free, community-centered space where residents can access essential health and wellness resources. Our goal is to help remove some of the barriers that often prevent people from receiving care, particularly in the areas of preventive health education, accessibility, and accountability.
Serving as the program coordinator has also encouraged me to continue expanding my own knowledge and skills. I have obtained certifications as a Certified Health Coach, Certified Lifestyle Coach, and Certified Mental Health Counselor, along with specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). These credentials simply support what has always been my heart’s mission—to serve others with compassion, humility, and a commitment to improving the well-being of our communities.
I remain grateful for every opportunity to learn, grow, and serve. My hope is simply to continue being a vessel that helps bring resources, healing, and opportunity to the communities that need it most.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Building a business from the ground up came with many challenges, especially because I entered the healthcare field without fully understanding everything required. I had to learn many things along the way—how to become credentialed with insurance companies, how billing and coding worked, what the licensure requirements were, when a business license was needed, and how to navigate the regulations surrounding Medicare and Medicaid. At the time, I never imagined that I would be operating in the healthcare industry; so much of the journey involved learning through experience, trial, and sometimes difficult mistakes.
Financially, the early years were also very challenging. I worked a full-time job while trying to build the business. There were many days when I would leave work just long enough to meet with my staff to provide forms, coordinate supplies, or handle urgent administrative matters, and then return to my job. We relied on creativity and determination to market our services. There were times when members of our team would bake cookies or muffins so we could take them to hospitals and physicians’ offices, simply to introduce ourselves and build relationships that might lead to referrals.
Because we were doing so much of the work ourselves in the beginning, there were coding mistakes and administrative errors that came from simply learning the system as we went. I invested nearly everything outside of my household back into the business because I believed in what we were building. I also decided not to borrow money, partly because I wanted to grow responsibly and partly because borrowing was not always an option.
Despite the challenges, there were also many rewarding moments. As the organization began to grow, we reached a point where the business could operate without me being involved in every single task. Seeing the work flourish and knowing that it was making a difference in people’s lives was incredibly fulfilling, especially when I had people around me who believed in the mission.
Eventually, I stepped out on faith and opened a clinic. Around that same time, we expanded another arm of the organization by developing housing options. We offered short- and long-term Airbnb housing for traveling nurses and physicians, and we also operated duplexes for individuals living with mental health and substance use disorders, including veterans who needed stable housing while working toward recovery.
Then COVID arrived, which created an entirely new set of challenges. We had a residential home operating at the time, and due to state requirements during the pandemic, we were forced to move everyone out. It was a very uncertain period, and we had to quickly figure out how to continue operating and survive.
Even in recent years, the journey has continued to require resilience. We have relocated several times, including a move as recently as November of last year. Each transition comes with its own challenges, but it also reminds me that persistence is necessary in order to keep moving forward.
So no, it has never been easy. But through every obstacle, I have learned that when you believe in your purpose and the people you serve, you have to keep going. You continue to fight the good fight, trusting that the work you are doing will ultimately make a difference.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At **Customized Medical Needs**, our work truly reflects our name—we specialize in **customizing care for each individual we serve**. Our tagline is *“Serving the needs of every body,”* intentionally written as two words. That phrase reflects our belief that healthcare should never be a one-size-fits-all approach. Every person comes with different life circumstances, challenges, and needs, and our responsibility is to meet people where they are.
From the beginning, we have taken pride in offering **holistic services and treatment**. In today’s healthcare environment, patients often face many obstacles—changes in insurance coverage, rising costs, copays, in-network and out-of-network limitations, enrollment barriers, and even a shortage of physicians who are available within certain plans. These challenges can become overwhelming, and when people encounter too many barriers, they sometimes give up on seeking care altogether. When that happens, their physical health often begins to suffer, and eventually their mental and emotional well-being can be affected as well.
Because of this, we approach healthcare from a **whole-person perspective**, beginning with the understanding that **mental health and physical health are deeply connected**. If we do not take care of the mind, the body will inevitably suffer. That philosophy has shaped the way we design and deliver our services.
What sets Customized Medical Needs apart is that our approach to holistic care goes beyond just addressing mental and physical health. We also focus on **being a resource and a connector for the people we serve**. Many individuals simply do not know where to turn when they face challenges navigating healthcare systems, insurance coverage, or other social needs. While we may not be insurance agents, for example, we make sure we can connect our clients to trusted professionals who can help them understand their options. We believe that sometimes the most important thing you can do for someone is help them access the right resources and remove the barriers standing in their way.
Over time, we have become known for being a **solution-oriented organization—a place where people can find support, guidance, and practical help**. We strive to function as a kind of **“one-stop” resource**, helping individuals navigate not only their healthcare needs but also the systems that surround them.
On a personal level, what I am most proud of is the ability to continue doing this work with compassion and determination, even while balancing family life. I started this journey later in life. When I launched the business, I had a young child and was also pregnant with my second. It was not always easy, but it strengthened my commitment to building something meaningful—not just for my family, but for the communities we serve.
Every day I try to give more than I did the day before. My goal has always been to serve people with integrity, humility, and persistence, and to ensure that when someone comes through our doors, they feel supported, valued, and empowered to take the next step toward better health and well-being.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is **making a meaningful difference in people’s lives**. Everything I do—whether through healthcare services, community programs, or mentorship—comes back to the desire to help people overcome barriers and realize that their lives have value and purpose.
For many individuals, especially in underserved communities, life can present obstacle after obstacle. When people are struggling with health issues, mental health challenges, financial stress, or simply not knowing where to turn for help, it can feel overwhelming. What matters most to me is being able to stand in that gap and provide support, guidance, and resources that help people move forward. Sometimes the greatest impact comes from simply helping someone understand their options or connecting them with the right support at the right time.
Another thing that matters deeply to me is **integrity in service**—doing the work for the right reasons. I believe that when you are truly called to serve, the focus should always remain on people and not just on programs, titles, or recognition. If the work we are doing does not genuinely improve the lives of those we serve, then we have to reevaluate what we are doing and why.
My **family and faith** also play a very important role in what matters to me. They remind me to stay grounded and to remember why the work is important in the first place. Balancing family, faith, and service has shaped how I approach leadership and community work. It keeps me humble and reminds me that everything we build should ultimately leave something better for the next generation.
At the end of the day, what matters most is **impact**—knowing that the work we are doing is helping someone heal, find hope, gain stability, or discover opportunities they did not know were possible. That is what keeps me motivated to continue the work, even when the journey is difficult.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.customizedmedicalneeds.com/www.customizedveteransgroup.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/customizedmedicalneeds
