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LUGPA Policy Brief - The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act

April 2025 

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act is a critical step in addressing the growing mental health crisis among health care professionals. Originally enacted in 2022, the Lorna Breen Act was the first federal law dedicated to preventing suicide, reducing occupational burnout, and improving mental health support for clinicians. Given the persistent challenges facing the health care workforce, reauthorizing this law is imperative to protecting the well-being of those who provide essential medical care.

Led by Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McLellan (D-VA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), the legislation has received overwhelming bipartisan support. Both the House and Senate versions were marked up and reported out of committee in the 118th Congress with strong backing. Despite its inclusion in a bipartisan health agreement, it was not part of the final year-end continuing resolution, making its swift reauthorization a legislative priority.

The Lorna Breen Act has directly impacted more than 250,000 health care workers across the country through 45 evidence-based initiatives. It has:

  • Improved access to mental and behavioral health support.
  • Encouraged hospitals and health systems to engage with clinicians on well-being initiatives.
  • Helped state licensure boards revise outdated policies that discouraged health care professionals from seeking mental health services.

Despite these successes, the crisis persists. Health care professionals continue to experience elevated rates of burnout, mental health conditions, and suicide, exacerbating workforce shortages and impacting patient care. Without intervention, these challenges will further strain recruitment and retention, limiting patient access to high-quality care.

Key Provisions of the Reauthorization Bill

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act expands and strengthens the original law by:

  • Establishing grants for training health profession students, residents, and clinicians in evidence-based strategies to prevent suicide, burnout, and substance use disorders.
  • Supporting the identification and dissemination of best practices for promoting mental health and job satisfaction among health care professionals.
  • Funding a national education and awareness campaign to reduce stigma and encourage clinicians to seek mental health support.
  • Expanding eligibility for grants to include entities focused on reducing administrative burdens that contribute to occupational burnout.
  • Prioritizing funding for health care providers in current or former COVID-19 hotspots.
  • Conducting a comprehensive study on health care professional burnout and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinician well-being.

Protecting the well-being of health care professionals is essential to maintaining high-quality patient care and a resilient medical workforce.LUGPA strongly supports efforts to ensure continued investment in the mental and behavioral health of our nation’s health care workforce. The challenges of burnout and mental health conditions are significant threats to the stability of the health care system. This legislation would can help to create a work environment where clinicians can seek the support they need without fear of professional repercussions.