Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) filed the Lorna Breen Reauthorization Act as an amendment to the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday, July 11. The amendment filed (S.Amdt.2315) to the Senate NDAA bill S. 4638 aims to reauthorize and enhance the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act by expanding best practices to prevent substance use and increasing education initiatives on mental health and substance use disorder services through 2029.
The proposed amendment authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, military construction, and defense activities of the Department of Energy. Sen. Kaine’s amendment adds Section 4 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act to the second Section 764 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294t), in addition to including key provisions focused on reducing administrative burden for healthcare workers.
The Healthcare Workforce Coalition thanks Senator Kaine and co-sponsor Senator Todd Young (R-IN) for their bipartisan leadership and commitment to the healthcare workforce by helping to expand mental health resources and support programs. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act aims to reduce suicide, burnout, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders among hospital professionals and healthcare workers, and the HWC eagerly awaits approval of the Lorna Breen Act amendment and reauthorization in the Senate.