Indy Standard

U.S. Senators Todd Young and Tim Kaine have introduced a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Originally passed in 2022, this law aims to prevent suicide, burnout, and mental health issues among healthcare professionals.

Senator Young emphasized the importance of supporting frontline workers who risk their health daily. "Congress must act to reauthorize this important program to provide our health care workforce with needed support to prevent suicide and promote mental and behavioral health," he stated.

Senator Kaine highlighted the personal connection to Dr. Lorna Breen, a physician from Charlottesville who died by suicide after working on the COVID-19 frontlines. He expressed his commitment: "In 2022, I was honored to work with her family and Senators Young, Reed and Marshall to pass legislation in her honor to help ensure health care workers have access to the mental health support they need."

The proposed reauthorization has garnered support from several senators across party lines, including Roger Marshall, Jack Reed, Shelley Moore Capito, Lisa Murkowski, Jeanne Shaheen, and Mark R. Warner.

The full text of the legislation is available for public review.