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Bill introduced to support mental health for medical workers
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
mental health weekly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7583
pISSN - 1058-1103
DOI - 10.1002/mhw.32504
Subject(s) - mental health , health care , burnout , nursing , pandemic , mental health care , occupational safety and health , depression (economics) , psychology , medicine , covid-19 , psychiatry , political science , clinical psychology , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , macroeconomics , law
A bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R‐Michigan) and six other representatives would create grant programs designed to support the mental health of health care workers. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is aimed at preventing burnout, depression, suicide and other mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals, The Holland Sentinel reported Aug. 27. Lorna Breen was a physician in the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician & Surgeons in New York City, which was among the hardest‐hit areas in the United States by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Breen committed suicide in April. The bill would create grant programs for training health profession students, residents or health care professionals in strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, mental health conditions and substance use disorders. It would also create grants for employee education, peer‐support programming and mental and behavioral health treatment; health care providers in current or former COVID‐19 hotspots will be prioritized. It would establish a national education and awareness campaign targeting health care professionals to encourage them to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns.