Dr Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation

THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO REDUCE BURNOUT OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND SAFEGUARD THEIR WELL-BEING AND JOB SATISFACTION. WE ENVISION A WORLD WHERE SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IS UNIVERSALLY VIEWED AS A SIGN OF STRENGTH FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.

AWARENESS AND EDUCATION: THE FOUNDATION IS FOCUSED ON RAISING AWARENESS FOR THE CRITICAL NEED TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE WITH AUDIENCES WITHIN HEALTHCARE, SUCH AS HEALTHCARE LEADERS AND HEALTH WORKERS AS WELL AS AUDIENCES EXTERNAL TO HEALTHCARE SUCH AS PATIENTS, POLICY MAKERS AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY. THE FOUNDATION ALSO WORKS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL PHYSICIAN SUICIDE AWARENESS DAY AND SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE AND ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE SUICIDE AMONG HEALTH WORKERS. A RECENT POLL OF PHYSICIANS ILLUSTRATED THAT 25% OF ALL PHYSICIANS IN THE UNITED STATES KNOW DR. BREEN'S STORY. IN ADDITION, FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP REGULARLY HEARS FROM HEALTH WORKERS ABOUT THE IMPACT THE FOUNDATION HAS HAD ON CHANGING THE CULTURE TO SUPPORT WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH OF HEALTH WORKERS.

POLICY: THE DR. LORNA BREEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDER PROTECTION ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ON MARCH 18, 2022. THE LAW WAS FUNDED WITH $140M IN INITIAL FUNDING AND HAS MULTIPLE AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDING CREATING SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMMATIC SOLUTIONS TO WELL-BEING AT THE HEALTH SYSTEM LEVEL AND A NATIONWIDE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. THE FOUNDATION HAS SERVED TO ELEVATE THE BEST PRACTICES IDENTIFIED BY THE ORIGINAL LORNA BREEN ACT GRANTEES AND SERVED AS A TECHNICAL ADVISOR TO THE CDC/NIOSH ON THE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION HAS FOCUSED ON ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS WHICH HAS BEEN RECENTLY IDENTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION AS THE #1 KEY DRIVER OF SUICIDE BY HEALTH WORKERS. THE FOUNDATION PERFORMED AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF MEDICAL LICENSING QUESTIONS AND DEVELOPED A TOOLKIT FOR LICENSING BOARDS, HOSPITALS AND OTHERS TO USE TO AUDIT, CHANGE AND COMMUNICATE CHANGES OF THESE ISSUES.

ADVANCING SOLUTIONS: THE FOUNDATION CO-CREATED A NATIONAL INITIATIVE ENTITLED "ALL IN: WELLBEING FIRST FOR HEALTHCARE" WITH A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT SPANS THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY. THE GOALS OF THE ALL IN INITIATIVE ARE TO: 1) ADVANCE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE; AND 2) ELIMINATE PERSISTENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CHALLENGES THAT DISADVANTAGE OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS. TOGETHER WITH A NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE, THE FOUNDATION IS WORKING TO BRING TOGETHER THESE TWO GOALS UNDER A CAMPAIGN ENTITLED "ALL IN: CARING FOR CAREGIVERS" WHICH IS HELPING TO IMPLEMENT AND SCALE SOLUTIONS IDENTIFIED COLLABORATIVELY THROUGH THE WORK OF THE ALL IN CAMPAIGN ON A STATEWIDE AND LOCAL LEVEL.