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January 30, 2025

ACEP Strongly Applauds Senate Bill Supporting Physician Mental Health

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate this week would reauthorize funding for the law named in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician who died by suicide during the pandemic.

ACEP was instrumental in the drafting and 2022 passage of this law, which has since provided $100 million for physician and care team mental health care.

“With strong ACEP support, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act became the first federal law focused on addressing the barriers preventing physicians and health care workers from receiving mental health care,” said Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. “Emergency physicians face the highest rates of stress and burnout in medicine and there’s no question, this law is saving lives and protecting livelihoods.”

As ACEP continues the work necessary to restore physician autonomy and address the underlying issues fueling burnout, we must ensure that physicians and health care workers have access to the mental health treatment and support services they need and deserve.

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the law for five years, providing grants for health care organizations, associations, schools and others to prioritize strategies to reduce burnout, peer-support programs, suicide prevention training, and mental and behavioral health treatment. The bill also includes reauthorization for a national evidence-based education campaign. Full text of the bill is available here.

ACEP is grateful to our Senate champions, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), and allies across the country for prioritizing the mental health of the professionals on the frontlines.

“We fully endorse the reauthorization of this vital law honoring of the life and legacy of our emergency medicine colleague and strongly encourage its prompt passage,” said Dr. Haddock.

Related:

Advocacy Spurs Record Number of Licensure Board, Hospital Actions to Prevent Health Worker Suicide

ACEP Physician Wellness Hub

The All In Coalition

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