Kim Downey:

A friend shared with me how she told someone their mutual physician was on medical leave. She heard it was serious. That person’s immediate response was concern over how it would affect their upcoming appointment. My friend said she thought of my advocacy work, initiating a conversation fostering empathy for the struggling physician.

I read a post by a surgeon, with fellow doctors commenting on the constant worry and personal responsibility they feel for their patients. The pressures and second-guessing over less-than-“perfect” outcomes is one heavy weight that physicians bear.

I’m an ambassador for the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation following the death from suicide of one of my doctors. I care deeply about the well-being of our healers. I’m passionate about creating awareness amongst lay people, while advocating for health care workers to have access to the confidential mental health care they need. Please join us in this critical work!

Corey Feist:

The statistics are stark. According to the CDC, health workers’ mental health is worse than any other segment of the U.S. workforce. Yet, among health workers reporting mental distress severe enough to meet diagnostic criteria for a mental health condition, only 38 percent reported seeking care, and 20 percent shared they did not need care, despite severe symptoms.

As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, we are reminded of the ongoing mental health crisis facing the health care workforce. For decades, health workers have carried the weight of a system that demands their physical, emotional, and ethical strength while offering little in return to address the mental toll of their work. Health workers must be given the tools and support to take care of themselves as they continue to care for others.

At the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, we have long been committed to raising awareness about the mental health challenges faced by those who care for us—that’s why we recently launched a new initiative, Health Workers Have The Right, Too, designed to empower health workers to seek the mental health care they need while urging employers, policymakers, and other key decision-makers to eliminate systemic barriers to that care. This initiative builds on the success of our Wellbeing First Champion Challenge program and brings together the health care community in a collaborative effort to tackle the stigma, policies, and practices that discourage health workers from seeking the mental health care they deserve.

We are focused on six crucial actions aimed at improving access to mental health care for health care professionals and eliminating the stigmatizing policies that have held them back from seeking the help they need:

1. Accessible and affordable mental health care: Health care is a 24/7 environment, and standard business hours often don’t work for health workers. Mental health care must be available during off-hours and weekends, or employers must provide unpenalized time off for care. Mental health screenings and treatment should be free, affordable, or covered by insurance.

2. Confidential professionalism or physician health program support: Almost every state has a Federation of State Physician Health Program (FSPHP) recognized professional or physician health program (PHP). These programs provide confidential assessment, referral to treatment, resources, and monitoring for health care professionals and those in training when there is a concern that a health condition may be negatively affecting their ability to provide safe, effective care.

3. Equal privacy in mental health care: Health workers’ mental health diagnoses or treatments must remain private unless disclosure is necessary to protect patient or public safety or to prevent harm to others. Licensure bodies, credentialing organizations, and liability carriers should only request disclosure when there is a reasonable concern about current impairment. Past mental health care must also be protected from discovery in malpractice or other legal cases unless required to ensure patient safety. Additionally, health employers must provide or contract with health plans that include expanded insurance networks or telehealth options, ensuring health workers are not forced to seek care within their own organizations.

4. Confidential peer support: Health workers face unique stressors that impact their mental health. The daily realities of health care—unexpected patient outcomes, constant exposure to suffering, and high-pressure environments—can deeply affect mental health and well-being. They must have access to confidential peer support programs and trained supporters to process these challenges safely. Peer support programs bridge a crucial gap, offering the ability to talk with colleagues who’ve walked the same path.

5. Education and training on mental health and professional well-being: Continuing education and certification for health workers must include evidence-based training on mental health care and professional well-being. Employers should provide best-practice resources to support ongoing education on available mental health resources. Undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate training programs must prepare health workers to manage the stressors of patient care, recognize when stress poses risks to mental health, and know how to access health worker-specific mental health resources.

6. Supportive pathway for re-entry: Health workers, who may have been unable to practice because of a health condition, must be offered a transparent, structured, and reasonable re-entry process that balances their needs while maintaining patient safety. PHPs, health care regulators, insurers, employers, and credentialing bodies must have a role and collaborate in this re-entry process. Health workers’ treatment and care during their pathway for re-entry should be affordable or financial assistance and support should be made available.

Why it matters

It’s simple: A healthy workforce is essential for safe, compassionate patient care. The current mental health crisis among health workers is contributing to unprecedented burnout rates, staff shortages, and declining patient care. By implementing these six actions, we can create an environment where health workers feel safe, supported, and empowered to seek the help they need to be at their best—both for themselves and for their patients.

Together, we can change the culture of health care. We can eliminate the stigma, break down the barriers, and build a system that respects the mental health of those who care for us.

Corey Feist is co-founder, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation. Kim Downey is a physician advocate and physical therapist.