Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru the end of 2024, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
Advanced Search
Pennsylvania State Senate
04/29/2024 12:48 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=39106
Share:
Home / Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 4, 2023 11:58 AM
From: Senator Frank A. Farry
To: All Senate members
Subject: Healthcare Heroes
 
We have been hearing for over three years about the mental health toll the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises 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.
 
A House Human Services hearing highlighted some of the extremely concerning statistics regarding the mental health crisis surrounding our frontline workers:
 
"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 me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation.
 


Introduced as SB258