Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 7, 2022 02:15 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Wendi Thomas and Rep. Frank A. Farry, Rep. Natalie Mihalek, Rep. Michael H. Schlossberg |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Public Awareness Campaign to Address our Healthcare Heroes' Mental Health |
| On Thursday, Sept. 8, we will introduce legislation to support our Healthcare Heroes. We have been hearing for over two years about the mental health toll the pandemic has taken on our frontline workers. We would like to make sure our healthcare workers, first responders, and other frontline workers and their families know that there is help and support available. We also hope to decrease stigma against asking for help. We heard from many in the Spring of 2021 at a Mental Health Hearing. They shared extremely concerning statistics. "ln the past 14 months our health care workers have been faced with elevated levels of anxiety, depression, isolation, PTSD and burnout," said Jennifer Collins, PsyD, chief well-being officer and clinical psychologist at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. "ln September 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, a survey from the National Institute of Healthcare Management revealed that 76% of health care workers are now reporting burnout and exhaustion." “A recent Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that as many as three in 10 health care professionals are considering leaving the profession, of which half of those are due to burn out," Tarik Khan, MSN, FNP-BC, CRNP, and certified nurse practitioner said. "Burnout among nurses was common before COVID-19; the pandemic has only hastened it for many of them. The virus has caused many nurses to leave their units to pursue another career." This bill will direct the Department of Human Services to establish a public awareness campaign to provide information regarding the programs and services available for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We know some of those issues include, but are not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder. We need to care for those who selflessly care for others. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as HB2806