MSSNY Applauds Passage of Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act 

For Immediate Release

MSSNY Applauds Passage of Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act 

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York  

“The Medical Society of the State of New York applauds Congress for passing the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act that will earmark funding for mental health wellness initiatives for frontline healthcare workers. We look forward to President Biden signing it into law.

“Dr. Lorna Breen was one of our own, a New York physician who died by suicide at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Her fellow physicians in New York continue to mourn her death and take comfort in the fact that the Breen family used her untimely death to bring renewed awareness to these issues that have always been present in medicine.

“The legislation will establish grants dedicated to improving mental health and resiliency for health care professionals and create a public awareness campaign focused on encouraging healthcare workers to seek support and treatment.

“Our hope is that this legislation will provide much needed support to encourage physicians to care for their mental health—an age-old issue that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“MSSNY has launched a peer-to-peer program to provide our physicians, residents, and medical students a completely confidential and anonymous opportunity to talk with a physician peer about life’s stressors.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.

Media Contact:
Julie Vecchione | Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x340 | [email protected]