WASHINGTON (February 3, 2026) – The Healthcare Workforce Coalition – representing healthcare stakeholders across the continuum including providers, employers, associations, and staffing organizations – commends passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (H.R. 929/S. 266). The HWC proudly advocates for legislation aimed at growing a robust, resilient, and safe healthcare workforce, including the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act.
This bipartisan bill is vital for strengthening employee safety initiatives, improving healthcare professionals’ wellbeing, and reducing burnout by expanding hospital grants to support preventive and strategic trainings for suicide reduction, mental healthcare, and substance use by healthcare providers. The Healthcare Workforce Coalition commends bill sponsors Sens. Kaine (D-VA) and Young (R-IN) and Reps. Dingell (D-MI) and Kiggans (R-VA) on their hard work to get this bill across the finish line.
“There is no doubt that working in long term care is rewarding but challenging work, and providing caregivers access to mental health resources is a vital part of supporting our workforce. Supports and policies like the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act pay tribute to our caregivers’ commitment and sacrifice and are important in developing a more resilient care profession. They will help ensure that our nation’s older adults and individuals with disabilities have access to the high-quality care they deserve,” commented Dana Ritchie, Associate Vice President of Constituency Services & Workforce for AHCA/NCAL following the reauthorization.
The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act was first passed by Congress in 2022 to help address a significant rise in mental health concerns and suicide rates among hospital and healthcare employees. Named for an emergency room physician who tragically died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislation has funded strategic mental health and burnout reducing interventions throughout the United States. Today, the HWC celebrates the expanded funding and extension of the bill’s reauthorization period to five years.
The reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act will:
- Extend the appropriation of $45 million each year between 2026 and 2029 for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide mental health and wellness grants and support for healthcare professionals.
- Support the continuation of the ‘Impact Wellbeing’ campaign to educate hospital and health system leaders on burnout among healthcare workers, providing evidence-informed solutions and peer-support programming.
- Prioritize communities with a shortage of healthcare workers, rural communities, and high-burnout rate workforces due to administrative burdens like lengthy paperwork.
The Healthcare Workforce Coalition applauds Congress for reauthorizing this critical legislation to improve employee safety, mental healthcare, and burnout resources for healthcare providers. In tackling the high rates of healthcare workforce burnout and emotional distress attributed to extreme shortages and higher patient volumes, the passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act will help foster a supportive, safe workforce culture with resources for our nation’s healthcare workforce.
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