Remove Intrusive Mental Health Questions from Licensure and Credentialing Applications

Clinicians aren’t seeking mental health care despite their high rates of burnout and stress.

Clinicians fear losing their license and credentials because of overly broad and invasive mental health questions on applications that are stigmatizing, discriminatory, and violate privacy in the workplace−and may even violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This must change.

Ensuring that clinicians can access necessary mental health care not only benefits their well-being, but it also improves the health of our entire country. Patient outcomes will improve when we prioritize clinician well-being, because to care for others, clinicians must also be cared for.

The ALL IN States for Prioritizing Clinician Well-Being

Many medical boards have audited and changed the intrusive language from their licensure applications.

The State of Our States

As of May 1 2023, 21 states have aligned their applications to either:

Ask one question consistent with the Federation of State Medical Board’s recommended language that addresses all mental and physical health conditions as one, with no added explanations, asterisks, or fine print.
Refrain from asking probing questions about an applicant’s health altogether.
Implement an Attestation Model that uses supportive language around mental health and offers “safe haven” non-reporting options to physicians who are receiving care.
Learn How We Identified The States

Want your state to be ALL IN for prioritizing clinician well-being?

For Licensure Boards

Download our toolkit to take the three critical steps to remove this barrier.

For Individuals

Contact your medical board to urge them to prioritize clinicians’ mental health.

Hospitals & Health Systems Must Act Too

Many hospitals and health systems have the same intrusive mental health questions on their credentialing applications, addendums, and peer review forms.

Use our toolkit to take transparent and measurable action in supporting your most valuable resource: your workforce.

Download Toolkit

WellBeing First Champion Challenge

For medical boards, nursing boards, and hospitals and health systems who are ALL IN for protecting its workforce, join our Challenge to be recognized as a WellBeing First Champion.

Apply Now

ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare is a call to action by #FirstRespondersFirst and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, which works as a coalition to advance solutions to improve the well-being of the healthcare workforce and eliminate persistent mental health and well-being challenges that disadvantage our healthcare workers.

Learn more and join us at allinforhealthcare.org.