President Biden recently enacted a law that provides federal funding for mental health education and awareness aimed at protecting the well-being of healthcare workers throughout hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is named for a Columbia emergency medicine physician who died by suicide in April 2020 at the peak of the first COVID-19 surge.
“Healthcare professionals often forgo mental health treatment due to the significant stigma in both our society and the medical community, as well as due to the fear of professional repercussions,” says Angela Mills, MD, chair of emergency medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “This law will provide much needed funding to help break down the stigma of mental health care, providing education and training to prevent suicide, address other behavioral health issues, and improve well-being.”
The goal of the act is to prevent suicide, alleviate mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and combat the stigma associated with seeking help. It provides up to $135 million over three years in grants to medical schools, academic health centers, state and local governments, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
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