Remove mental health stigma from credentialing

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Lorna Breen worked tirelessly in two emergency departments in New York City, one of the hardest-hit areas at the time. As the days wore on, the constant wave of patients and unrelenting trauma began to take their toll. Despite her mounting distress and need for support, Dr. Breen feared seeking help. She was deeply concerned that doing so would cost her the career she loved and worked so hard to build. This fear was fueled by the fact that many state licensing boards across the country require physicians to disclose current and past mental healthcare issues and access, and many hospitals require disclosure for credentialing. In

April 2020, Dr. Breen died by suicide. Her death underscored the need to take a hard look at mental health access and how we support our healthcare workers. In this Insights Huddle, we discuss the need to reform licensure and credentialing processes to foster safer, more supportive cultures for all healthcare professionals.

A recording of this Insights Huddle is available here. It was recorded prior to our expanded community and new name, Heart of Safety Coalition. We are featuring his Insights Huddle, which was initially shared as the CEO Coalition, because this topic is important and continues to gain momentum.  

You can also read the discussion recap.

After this Insights Huddle, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation sparked a movement with its ALL IN: Wellbeing First Champion Challenge. As of September 1, 2024, 34 licensure boards and 375 hospitals verified their licensing or credentialing applications are free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing. Read this blog post, and learn more about ALL IN and the Foundation’s work to stop the stigma around mental health. 

Lisa MacLean, MD
Chief Clinical Wellness Officer,
Henry Ford Health

Corey Feist, JD, MBA
CEO adn Co-founder, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation 

Daniel Blaney-Koen, JD
Senior Legislative Attorney
American Medical Association