Physician, Heal Thyself (Without Losing Your License)

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The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation works to eliminate barriers to mental health access and improve work environments for healthcare workers, following the tragic suicide of Dr. Lorna Breen during the first COVID wave.

A interview with CEO Stephanie Simmons

Links:

ALL IN for Mental Health: https://drlornabreen.org/allinformentalhealth/

Specifically the ALL IN for Mental Health resource page: https://drlornabreen.org/allinformentalhealth/six-actions/accessible-affordable-mental-health-care/

ACEP wellbeing resource page: https://www.acep.org/life-as-a-physician/wellness

Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation Licensing/Credentialing toolkit: https://drlornabreen.org/removebarriers/

Write your Representative to support Reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection act: https://drlornabreen.org/reauthorizelba/

Become an Ambassador: https://drlornabreen.org/become-an-ambassador/

Donate (and thank you!): https://drlornabreen.org/donate/

Summary:
• Founded by Lorna's sister and brother-in-law after thousands of healthcare workers reached out following her death
• Three main areas of work: advocacy at federal and state levels, advanced collaboration, and accelerating solutions
• Successfully helped pass the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act in 2022, establishing grants for healthcare provider mental health programs
• Working to remove stigmatizing questions about mental health from licensing and credentialing applications
• 35 state medical boards and over 600 hospitals have removed invasive mental health questions
• Many healthcare workers avoid seeking mental health care fearing professional consequences
• Anonymous resources available include the Emotional PPE Project and Physician Support Line
• Healthcare workers compartmentalize trauma like "putting it in a backpack" that eventually becomes too heavy
• The foundation is committed to being "completionist" in changing all state licensing boards
• Physicians and healthcare workers have unique power to advocate for these changes

Visit the All In for Mental Health website for resources and use the legislative call to action tool to support reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act.

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