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Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act Passed by Congress

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  • Establishes grants for training healthcare professionals in evidence-informed strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The grants would also help improve healthcare professionals’ well-being and job satisfaction;
  • Seeks to identify and disseminate evidence-informed best practices for reducing and preventing suicide and burnout among healthcare professionals, training healthcare professionals in appropriate strategies, and promoting their mental and behavioral health and job satisfaction;
  • Establishes a national evidence-based education and awareness campaign targeting healthcare professionals to encourage them to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns;
  • Establishes grants for employee education, peer-support programming and mental and behavioral health treatment, with priority given to healthcare providers in current or former COVID-19 hotspots; and
  • Establishes a comprehensive study on healthcare professional mental and behavioral health and burnout, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on such professionals’ health.

Congress passed the Breen Act in mid-February, and President Biden is expected to sign the legislation soon. Watch for updates on our @ACRheumDC Twitter account.

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