Removing Credentialing and Licensing Level Barriers to Mental Health Care

September 15, 2022

ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare -- a campaign launched by #FirstRespondersFirst and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation in partnership with leading healthcare organizations -- published a new webpage that will house information on one of the top systemic barriers to clinicians seeking mental health care: intrusive mental health questions on licensure and credentialing applications. This page showcases a first-of-its-kind map that indicates which states are ALL IN for prioritizing clinician well-being—the states that have audited and changed invasive language on their licensure applications to be consistent with our recommendations.

The page also includes resources, including a refreshed toolkit, to help other medical boards change their licensure applications and hospital and health system leaders to do the same on their credentialing applications. 

Additionally, The Physicians Foundation just released Part Two of the 2022 Survey of America’s Physicians, which examines the current state of physicians’ well-being and assesses the solutions needed to improve it. 

Read the full press release announcing the new webpage and survey here

 Social Media Posts

  • Clinicians aren’t seeking #mentalhealth care—despite their high rates of burnout and stress. Learn why: drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #StoptheStigma #NPSADay
  • Nearly 4 in 10 physicians were either afraid or knew another physician fearful of seeking mental health care because of questions asked in medical licensure, credentialing, or insurance applications. This must change! Act now to #StoptheStigma: drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #NPSADay
  • Is your state ALL IN for prioritizing clinician well-being? If so, they removed intrusive mental health questions on licensure applications that are stigmatizing, discriminatory, & violate privacy in the workplace. drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #StoptheStigma #NPSADay
  • #DYK 17 states have audited & changed the intrusive #mentalhealth questions from their licensure applications? See if your state is ALL IN: drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #StoptheStigma #NPSADay
  • Ensuring that clinicians can access mental health care not only benefits their well-being, but it also improves patient outcomes. Medical boards: ACT NOW to remove a critical barrier to access! drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #StoptheStigma #NPSADay
  • Want your state to be ALL IN for prioritizing clinician well-being? Contact your medical board to urge them to remove intrusive mental health questions and #StoptheStigma: drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #NPSADay
  • Hospital & health systems must audit their credentialing applications, change the intrusive questions mental health, & communicate these changes to their workforce. Download the toolkit today to #StoptheStigma and support your workforce: drlornabreen.org/RemoveBarriers #NPSADay