Senate passes Lorna Breen bill

Last week, the Senate unanimously passed the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (S. 610). Named for a doctor who led the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, the bipartisan legislation would authorize grants to create programs to offer behavioral health services to frontline health care workers. The law would also require Health and Human Services to study and recommend strategies to address health care provider burnout and launch a campaign encouraging health care workers to seek assistance when needed. The bill was amended to require the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the extent to which federal substance use disorder and mental health grant programs address these conditions among health professionals. AONL and the American Hospital Association supported the legislation. A companion bill (H.R. 1667) introduced in the House in March awaits consideration. (AHA News article, 8/6/21)