Episode 37 - Matt Johnston

Matt Johnston, M.Ed., is a full-time professional firefighter and mental health clinician from Vancouver, British Columbia. Since 2012, he has attended over 3,000 calls as a medical responder, hazardous materials technician, emergency vehicle operator, and firefighter. Combined with 20 years of experience in counseling psychology Matt offers a unique, in-depth understanding of paramilitary mindsets within stoic workplace cultures. In 2017, Matt co-founded a popular educational series titled the Occupational Awareness Training Program©. In under three years, he trained over 400 psychologists/counselors, human resource specialists, and medical doctors on how to enhance the delivery of services for first responders and their family members. The Occupational Awareness Training Program© has garnered international attention for solving complex barriers to care while offering streamlined service access to an extensive network of culturally competent healthcare professionals. Matt is also Chief Executive Officer of First Responder Health Services Inc. (FRH), a company that combines technological innovation with an extensive network of subject matter experts to provide customized e-learning opportunities and telemedicine services. FRH is also broadening its focus through the expansion of online services to include military personnel and veterans through partnerships with well-established national stakeholder groups. The goal of FRH is to deliver simplified, culturally competent healthcare services in a fashion that alleviates the mental health crises facing those who protect society. Matt is a nationally recognized subject matter expert in the field of public safety mental health. Recently, he has been appointed to a federal committee in charge of implementing Canada’s National Framework on PTSD Surveillance. He is also a panel member for the Canadian Institute for Health and Research. His clients are numerous and have included the Canadian Border Services Agency, large unions/associations, and various Worker Compensation Boards.