The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a Oct. 26 hearing on a number of bills to bolster the health care workforce, including the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R. 1667), supported by AONL. The bipartisan legislation would authorize grants to create programs offering behavioral health services for front-line health care workers. It also would require Health and Human Services to study and recommend strategies to address health care provider burnout and facilitate resiliency, and direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch a campaign encouraging health care workers to seek assistance when needed. “A sufficient, healthy workforce is foundational to maintaining access to high-quality care, especially as hospitals are strained by crises such as surges in COVID-19 hospitalizations,” the American Hospital Association (AHA) said in a statement submitted to the subcommittee. (AHA News article, 10/26/21)
