In a joint letter to Congress, 67 health care organizations urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (H.R. 929/S. 266).
Named in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician who died by suicide in 2020, this act is the first and only federal law dedicated to addressing the dire need for support and services preventing suicide and reducing occupational burnout, mental health conditions, and stress among healthcare professionals. Many of these professionals avoid or delay mental health services out of fear of retribution, such as losing their license or facing career setbacks.
The Lorna Breen Act has already supported more than 250,000 workers across the country through 45 evidence-informed initiatives. Positive outcomes already show improvement in access to mental and behavioral health support and treatment.
However, there’s still much work to be done. Healthcare professionals face higher rates of mental and behavioral health conditions, burnout, and suicide than other professions. As the healthcare workforce continues to experience serious shortages and the recruitment and retention of future generations of professionals becomes more difficult, prioritizing the health of these workers is vital.
“We must continue to prioritize the health and well-being of those who care for us, ensuring an environment where each and every health care professional always has access to the necessary mental health care services they need and deserve, without fear of loss of licensure, loss of income, or threat of other meaningful career setbacks associated with the stigma of getting the help they need. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act will help ensure that hospitals, health systems, and other health care organizations can continue, expand, and build on the successes seen with numerous initiatives funded by the Act,” the letter states.
This legislation is just as important today as it was when first signed into law in 2022. The Healthcare Workforce Coalition will continue to advocate and work with Congress to pass this important piece of legislation.
To read the letter, CLICK HERE.