Last week President Biden signed the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill designed to help reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, and mental/behavioral health issues among healthcare professionals. Among other things, the bill will:
- Establish grants for employee education, peer-support programs, and mental and behavioral health treatments, with top priority going to healthcare providers.
- Create grants for healthcare profession schools, academic health centers, and other institutions to help train health workers about suicide prevent strategies, as well as how to address/prevent burnout, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders.
- Help identify and disseminate best practices for suicide and burnout prevention among healthcare professionals.
- Establish a national evidence-based education and awareness campaign to encourage healthcare professions to pursue support and treatment when they need it.