For World Mental Health Day, on October 10, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is joining forces with global stakeholders to highlight the vital connection between mental health and work. A safe and supportive workplace promotes mental well-being, while poor working conditions—such as harassment, stigma, and discrimination—can take a significant toll on a worker’s mental health. Nowhere is this more apparent than in healthcare environments, where unique challenges amplify these risks.
SurgeonMasters encourages you to contact your U.S. representatives and urge them to reauthorize and fund the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act to approve funding to improve care for those who care for us. FILL OUT THIS FORM to contact your representative.
Physician Mental Wellness!
Listen to this podcast with Stefanie Simmons, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Officer of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation.
Mental Health Resources
Collaboration Is Key
For real change to occur, collaboration is essential. Governments, employers, and healthcare organizations must work together to create safer, healthier work environments. This means involving healthcare professionals and employees at every level of the system, particularly those with lived experiences, to identify challenges and develop solutions that work for individuals.
By prioritizing these approaches, we can build systems and organizations where healthcare professionals can thrive personally and professionally to benefit patient care and the system as a whole.
A Lifeline for Healthcare Workers: The Lorna Breen Act
One of the most impactful pieces of legislation aimed at supporting healthcare workers’ mental health is the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Since its passage in 2022, this groundbreaking legislation has funded $103 million across 45 organizations, supporting evidence-based strategies to reduce suicide, burnout, and other mental health challenges in the healthcare field.
In addition, the Lorna Breen Act has launched the Impact Wellbeing™ national campaign, providing hospital leaders with the tools they need to sustain well-being and reduce burnout among healthcare workers. However, this is only the beginning.
In October 2023, the CDC released its “Vital Signs” report, identifying a mental health crisis among healthcare workers. With less than 1% of the 6,120 hospitals in the U.S. receiving program funding from the Lorna Breen Act, millions of healthcare workers across the country are left without adequate support. Over 200,000 healthcare settings still lack the resources needed to address this urgent issue.
Why Reauthorization of the Lorna Breen Act Matters
As we look to 2024, it’s crucial to call on legislators to reauthorize and renew funding for the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. This act is a lifeline for healthcare workers, providing much-needed resources to tackle the mental health challenges they face daily. Reauthorization would not only extend its reach to more hospitals but also reduce the administrative burden on healthcare workers, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—caring for their patients.
This is more than just a policy; it’s an essential part of the healthcare delivery system, impacting not only health workers but every individual who will require medical care in their lifetime.
Take Action Today!
The time to act is now. We must stand together to ensure the continued support of our healthcare workforce. You can help by contacting your representatives and urging them to reauthorize and fund the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Together, we can better care for those who care for us.
Go to the Lorna Breen website to contact your representatives with a few clicks.
For more information about the legislation and its impact, visit DrLornaBreen.org. Let’s make a difference today for a healthier, more sustainable future in healthcare.