Act will help mental health workers

On behalf of Advocate Aurora Health's thousands of front-line team members who have continued to care for our communities through the pandemic and beyond, I want to thank Congress for approval of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. We are particularly grateful for the members of the Illinois congressional delegation who supported this important legislation.

Now headed to President Biden for his signature, this bipartisan new law would establish grants and other programs to help with the mental health of the workers who have done so much to help all of us.

The stress and exhaustion faced by health care workers is a nationwide problem, and providers throughout our region haven't been spared. While each health system and state has worked hard to care for its team members and create programs and incentives to help, creating national programs to address this issue makes good sense.

Our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and many other workers will be feeling the effects of the pandemic for years, and we'll all need to keep doing our part to support health care workers.

Congress' bipartisan action on the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Act acknowledges that.

Mary Beth Kingston, Advocate Aurora Health Chief Nursing Officer

Downers Grove