Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act
Bill: H.R.1667 | Sponsor: Rep. Wild, Susan (D-PA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act
This bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health among health care providers.
Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to hospitals, medical professional associations, and other health care entities for programs to promote mental health and resiliency among health care providers. In addition, HHS may award grants for relevant mental and behavioral health training for health care students, residents, or professionals.
Additionally, HHS must conduct a campaign to (1) encourage health care providers to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns, and (2) disseminate best practices to prevent suicide and improve mental health and resiliency among health care providers.
HHS must also study and develop policy recommendations on
Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office must report on the extent to which relevant federal grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions and substance use disorders among health care providers.

[117th Congress Public Law 105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 1117]]

           DR. LORNA BREEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDER PROTECTION ACT

[[Page 136 STAT. 1118]]

Public Law 117-105
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
     To address behavioral health and well-being among health care 
         professionals. <<NOTE: Mar. 18, 2022 -  [H.R. 1667]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Dr. Lorna 
Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 42 USC 201 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider 
Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 42 USC 294s note.>>  DISSEMINATION OF BEST 
                    PRACTICES.

<<NOTE: Deadline.>>     Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall identify and 
disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed best practices for 
preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among 
health care professionals, and for training health care professionals in 
appropriate strategies to promote their mental 
health. <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  Such best practices shall include 
recommendations related to preventing suicide and improving mental 
health and resiliency among health care professionals.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 42 USC 294s note.>>  EDUCATION AND AWARENESS 
                    INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL HEALTH 
                    AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY HEALTH 
                    CARE PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) <<NOTE: Consultation.>>  In General.--The Secretary, in 
consultation with relevant stakeholders, including medical professional 
associations, shall establish a national evidence-based or evidence-
informed education and awareness initiative--
            (1) to encourage health care professionals to seek support 
        and care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to 
        help such professionals identify risk factors associated with 
        suicide and mental health conditions, and to help such 
        professionals learn how best to respond to such risks, with the 
        goal of preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and 
        substance use disorders; and
            (2) to address stigma associated with seeking mental health 
        and substance use disorder services.

    (b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the activities 
and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a), including a 
description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to evaluate 
such activities and outcomes.

[[Page 136 STAT. 1119]]

    (c) <<NOTE: Time period.>>  Authorization of Appropriations.--To 
carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024.
SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH 
                    PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.

    Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 764. <<NOTE: 42 USC 294s.>>  PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL 
                        HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL 
                        WORKFORCE.

    ``(a) <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>>  Programs to Promote Mental 
Health Among Health Care Professionals.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
        contracts to health care entities, including entities that 
        provide health care services, such as hospitals, community 
        health centers, and rural health clinics, or to medical 
        professional associations, to establish or enhance evidence-
        based or evidence-informed programs dedicated to improving 
        mental health and resiliency for health care professionals.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant or 
        contract under this subsection shall use funds received through 
        the grant or contract to implement a new program or enhance an 
        existing program to promote mental health among health care 
        professionals, which may include--
                    ``(A) improving awareness among health care 
                professionals about risk factors for, and signs of, 
                suicide and mental health or substance use disorders, in 
                accordance with evidence-based or evidence-informed 
                practices;
                    ``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                evidence-based or evidence-informed programs for 
                preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
                resiliency among health care professionals;
                    ``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing, peer-
                support programs among health care professionals; or
                    ``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up 
                services and care, or referral for such services and 
                care, as appropriate.
            ``(3) Priority.--In awarding grants and contracts under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
        entities in health professional shortage areas or rural areas.

    ``(b) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to 
award grants to health professions schools, academic health centers, 
State or local governments, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or 
other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities (or consortia of 
entities, including entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to 
support the training of health care students, residents, or health care 
professionals in evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies to 
address mental and substance use disorders and improve mental health and 
resiliency among health care professionals.
    ``(c) Grant Terms.--A grant or contract awarded under subsection (a) 
or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years.
    ``(d) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant or contract 
under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require.

[[Page 136 STAT. 1120]]

    ``(e) <<NOTE: Evaluation.>>  Reporting.--An entity awarded a grant 
or contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall periodically submit to the 
Secretary a report evaluating the activities supported by the grant or 
contract.

    ``(f) <<NOTE: Time period.>>  Authorization of Appropriations.--To 
carry out this section and section 5 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care 
Provider Protection Act, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024.''.
SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL 
                    HEALTH AND RESILIENCY.

    (a) <<NOTE: Deadline. Consultation.>>  In General.--Not later than 3 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall--
            (1) <<NOTE: Review.>>  conduct a review on improving health 
        care professional mental health and the outcomes of programs 
        authorized under this Act; and
            (2) <<NOTE: Reports.>>  submit a report to the Congress on 
        the results of such review.

    (b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) shall take into 
account--
            (1) the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions 
        among health professionals, and factors that contribute to those 
        mental health conditions;
            (2) barriers to seeking and accessing mental health care for 
        health care professionals, which may include consideration of 
        stigma and licensing concerns, and actions taken by State 
        licensing boards, schools for health professionals, health care 
        professional training associations, hospital associations, or 
        other organizations, as appropriate, to address such barriers;
            (3) the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on 
        the mental health of health care professionals and lessons 
        learned for future public health emergencies;
            (4) factors that promote mental health and resiliency among 
        health care professionals, including programs or strategies to 
        strengthen mental health and resiliency among health care 
        professionals; and
            (5) the efficacy of health professional training programs 
        that promote resiliency and improve mental health.

    (c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as 
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make 
recommendations to address--
            (1) improving mental health and resiliency among health care 
        professionals;
            (2) removing barriers to mental health care for health care 
        professionals; and
            (3) strategies to promote resiliency among health care 
        professionals in health care settings.
SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a 
report on the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental 
health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental 
health conditions and substance use disorders among health 
professionals. Such report shall--
            (1) <<NOTE: Analysis.>>  include an analysis of available 
        evidence and data related to such conditions and programs; and

[[Page 136 STAT. 1121]]

            (2) <<NOTE: Assessment.>>  assess whether there are 
        duplicative goals and objectives among such grant programs.

    Approved March 18, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1667:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 117-213 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 167 (2021):
                                    Dec. 8, considered and passed House.
                                                        Vol. 168 (2022):
                                    Feb. 17, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

                                  <all>