Press Release

HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY MAKES IT SAFER FOR 1.25 MILLION LICENSED AND 200,000 CREDENTIALED HEALTH WORKERS TO SEEK MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Wellbeing First Champion Challenge Program Supports Licensure Boards, Hospitals and Health Systems to Remove Barriers to Mental Health Care for Health Workers

Charlottesville, Va. – ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, a national coalition led by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, published significant progress in the healthcare community’s commitment to better support health workers’ mental health and wellbeing. As part of the coalition’s Wellbeing First Champion Challenge program, 43 licensure boards and 521 hospitals have verified their licensing or credentialing applications are free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language as of February 20, 2025.

Wellbeing First Champions for Licensing

34 state medical boards have been recognized as Wellbeing First Champions – representing a 17% increase from September 2024 with the Alaska State Medical Board, the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Washington Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery now recognized.
For the first time, 3 state pharmacy boards (Alaska, Idaho and North Dakota) are recognized as Wellbeing First Champions.
Additionally, 1 state dental board (Texas) and 5 state nursing boards (Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma) are recognized as Wellbeing First Champions.

Wellbeing First Champions for Credentialing

521 hospitals across the country are now recognized as Wellbeing First Champions, representing a 39% increase from September 2024 (375 hospitals).
Jackson and Coker Locums Tenens and Envision Healthcare also verified their internal applications and forms.
Additionally, two insurance companies (PacificSource Health Plans and Providence Health Plan) are recognized as a Wellbeing First Champion.

“A healthy workforce is essential for safe, quality patient care. Yet health workers are experiencing a mental health crisis, with unprecedented rates of burnout and mental health conditions,” said Corey Feist, co-founder and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. “Stigmatizing policies and practices discourage health workers from seeking mental health care, and this progress is evidence that we can work together, change the system and prioritize the mental health for those who care for us.”

Licensure boards, hospitals, health systems and insurance companies are encouraged to use the coalition’s licensing and credentialing toolkits to audit and change their applications, forms and addendums to be free of intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language. After verifying their applications with the coalition, they can be Wellbeing First Champions and be recognized nationally, including at the following events:

State medical licensure boards recognition at the Federation of State Medical Boards 2025 Annual Meeting
State pharmacy licensure boards recognition at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy 121st Annual Meeting
Health systems and hospitals recognition through the American Medical Association Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program, the Collaborative for Healing and Renewal in Medicine (CHARM), NAMSS 49th Educational Conference and Stop the Stigma EM

“With each update to remove intrusive mental health questions from licensing and credentialing applications, we are taking important steps to support and strengthen the healthcare community,” said Bruce A. Scott, MD, president of the American Medical Association. “Stigma still prevents many physicians and physicians-in-training from seeking needed care due to fear of professional repercussions. Physicians are human too, and they deserve the same care they provide to patients. The AMA is proud to continue work with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation to advance forward progress and ensure every licensing board, hospital, health system and credentialing body in the nation updates their applications.”

“Nurse anesthesiologists, like so many other healthcare providers and care teams face immense pressures in their work, and addressing mental health barriers is essential to supporting their wellbeing and ability to provide the highest quality care to their patients,” stated Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, president of the AANA. “The AANA is proud to champion and partner on initiatives like the Wellbeing First Champion Challenge by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, which empowers our community to prioritize mental health, foster resilience and build a culture where seeking help is celebrated and encouraged.”

“Health workers must be able to seek the mental health care they need without stigma or the legitimate fear they could lose their license,” said Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. “We must break down the barriers that are putting lives and careers at risk. ACEP is proud of the progress to date and fully committed to the systemwide effort necessary to change the culture of medicine so that emergency physicians and all health workers feel empowered to prioritize their own health.”

“AFSP commends the state licensing boards, hospitals and health systems that have paved the way for physicians and other health care professionals to be able to have their own mental health needs met, a critical step to sustaining their ability to care for patients,” said Christine Yu Moutier, MD, CMO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “AFSP is a proud member of the ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare coalition and we stand ready to help collectively continue the progress made for healthcare workers who remain subject to stigma and discriminatory barriers impeding their ability to thrive in the workplace.”

“An organization’s frontline is their bottom line. Thriving organizations prioritize their workforce’s wellbeing and implement evidence-based strategies to reduce stress and burnout. They foster supportive work environments and are better equipped to attract and retain top talent,” said Christine Pabico, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, senior director of ANCC Pathway to Excellence and Well-being Excellence.

“We are pleased to see continued progress in removing barriers that prevent pharmacists and other healthcare professionals from seeking the behavioral health care they need,” said Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, ScD (Hon), FASHP, CEO of ASHP. “Eliminating stigmatizing behavioral health questions from professional licensing applications and organizational credentialing processes – including those affecting hospital and health-system pharmacy professionals – is a critical step toward fostering a culture of support. We applaud the ongoing efforts of ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare and our fellow coalition members as we collectively advance this vital work.”

“It’s encouraging to see more hospitals, health systems and licensure boards championing change. By breaking down structural and systemic barriers to seeking mental health care, we can support the safety and wellbeing of all care team members. I’m proud to be a member of the ALL IN Coalition and help advance this work,” said Liz Boehm, executive strategist of the Heart of Safety Coalition and Stryker.

“We are proud to be working with our member boards of pharmacy to remove barriers that can prevent pharmacy professionals from seeking mental health care,” said Lemrey “Al” Carter, PharmD, MS, RPH, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. “To serve patients and protect public health, it is imperative that healthcare workers feel empowered to seek help without fearing repercussions from their licensing boards. We commend the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation for their efforts to drive change through their Wellbeing First Champion Challenge, and are excited to see more boards of pharmacy receive their badges over the coming months.”

“Medicine Forward applauds the commitment of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and all the partners in this effort. A thriving healthcare system starts with a thriving workforce. In the words of our friend, Dr. Kathy Stepien, “Everyone wins when physicians are well, ” said Gabe Charbonneau, MD, co-founder of Medicine Forward.

“NAMSS applauds the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation’s leadership in advocating for the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers through its Wellbeing First Champion Challenge Program, which continues to see tremendous success. As a partner in practitioner-wellness efforts through its Ideal Credentialing Standards, NAMSS congratulates the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, all Wellbeing First Champions, and those working toward becoming Wellbeing First Champions,” said Karen Claxton, MBA, CPCS, CPMSM, FMSP, president of NAMSS.

“Leadership is key to creating healthy workplace environments for healthcare workers. We would like to honor the leaders of the 521 hospitals that have committed to the wellbeing of their clinicians by becoming Wellbeing First Champions,” said Paul DeChant, MD, MBA and Bruce Cummings, MPH, LFACHE, co-founders and principals of Organizational Wellbeing Solutions.

“At The Physicians Foundation, we know that the wellbeing of healthcare workers is paramount to improving our healthcare system and the health of our nation,” said Gary Price, MD, president of The Physicians Foundation. “We are proud to be part of the ALL IN Coalition and celebrate this progress to empower healthcare workers to seek the care they need and ensure a sustainable and healthy workforce.”

###

About ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare
ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, led by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, is a coalition of national organizations dedicated to advancing a state where the healthcare workforce’s wellbeing is prioritized, and health workers feel valued and supported so they can sustain their sense of purpose and meaning in their work. Coalition members include American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Dental Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AHIP, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Nurses Foundation, American Psychiatric Association Foundation, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, CAA Foundation, CHARM, Federation of State Physician Health Programs, FIGS, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Heart of Safety Coalition, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Medicine Forward, Moral Injury of Healthcare, National Black Nurses Association, National Medical Association, Organizational Wellbeing Solutions, Philippine Nurses Association of America, The Physicians Foundation, the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare and Thrive Global.