Healthcare Provider Protection Act Becomes Law

President Joe Biden has signed into law the Healthcare Provider Protection Act, which establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health among healthcare providers. 

The Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act, HR 1667,  is intended to support healthcare providers’ mental and behavioral health and address burnout and workplace stress. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide grants to hospitals, medical professional associations, and other healthcare entities for programs to promote mental health and resiliency among healthcare providers. 

The law requires HHS to conduct a campaign to (1) encourage healthcare providers to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns, and (2) disseminate best practices to prevent suicide and improve mental health and resiliency among healthcare providers. In addition, the Government Accountability Office will be required to conduct a report on federal programs and ability to address the prevalence and severity of mental health and burnout among healthcare providers. The measure is named after Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency department physician who died by suicide in April 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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