Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act

This bill would reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a federal program created in 2022 to address mental health and burnout among healthcare workers. The original law was named after an emergency physician who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic. If enacted, this bill would extend the program for five additional years and expand its reach.

The bill would continue federal grants to hospitals, health systems, and medical organizations to provide mental health services, peer-support programs, and training for healthcare professionals. It would also require annual education campaigns encouraging healthcare workers to seek mental health and substance use disorder services. Additionally, the bill would expand eligibility for grants to include programs that reduce administrative burden on healthcare workers, which research indicates is a major driver of burnout.

Since the original law took effect in 2022, the program has reportedly supported over 250,000 healthcare workers nationwide. The reauthorization has received bipartisan support in Congress. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House.