Ryan Mattson, Director, Social Services at Connections Health Solutions, has been named a 2024 Frontline Honors honoree by Behavioral Health Business.
To become a Frontline honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be:
- A dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes
- A passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into for the good of their respective industry, the patients and residents they serve, and their families
- An advocate for their industry and their fellow colleagues
Behavioral Health Business recently caught up with Mattson to discuss their time in the behavioral health industry.
BHB: What drew you to this industry?
Mattson: When I first started working as a therapist, I had the opportunity to work at a crisis receiving and stabilization center. During this time, I noticed that very few professionals chose crisis work as their long-term area of practice. Many staff were early in their careers and often viewed crisis roles as short-term while gaining licensure hours and experience. I realized that individuals experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives were often supported by therapists who were just beginning their careers – myself included. That awareness motivated me to commit to crisis work and advocate for high-quality care in these critical moments.
BHB: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
Mattson: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that a crisis is rarely just about one individual. Whether it’s a family, a workplace, or a community, the person in crisis may be acting as a scapegoat or the most visible indicator of underlying dysfunction. Additionally, when a person experiences a mental health emergency, this may contribute to others entering their own crises over the next hours, days, or weeks. I’ve learned to look deeper at the layers of the system. Understanding these dynamics has helped me provide more effective support – not just supporting the individual but also anticipating how the broader system may react and what additional interventions might be needed.
BHB: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Mattson: My favorite part of my job is being there for people when they feel alone. Many of us know that emptiness – when we don’t have someone to turn to, or when the people in our lives aren’t equipped to sit with us in our struggle. Crisis can be incredibly isolating, whether because of stigma, broken relationships, or the sheer weight of it all. I find meaning in being the person who can sit with someone in those moments. It’s not about fixing everything but about making sure they don’t have to go through it alone.
BHB: What do you want the general public to better understand about your job and the industry you serve?
Mattson: I want the general public to understand that crisis doesn’t just happen to others. The people we support are their neighbors, friends, and loved ones. I truly believe that all of us are just one bad day away from a crisis, and the people we serve are no different. The more we recognize this, the easier it becomes to build a community where reaching out for help is seen as a step toward support, not something to be ashamed of.
BHB: What’s something that you wish other people in your organization — particularly leaders who don’t work on the front lines — understood better about your job?
Mattson: This is a challenging question because our leadership truly understands crisis services. While Mobile services are a newer addition to what Connections provides. There are many similarities between front-line work in a facility and serving people in the community. I appreciate our open communication and the effort to regularly highlight Mobile services across the organization so all employees can better understand what we do. If anything, the unpredictability of community-based crisis work adds layers that are hard to capture in policy or discussion. But the biggest challenge isn’t within our organization – it’s getting State and Federal leadership to fully grasp the complexities of this work and understand that we can’t always fit into the boxes they create.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2024, visit https://frontlinehonors.com/.
