ROANOKE, Va – A Virginia lawmaker is pushing for an increase in funding for mental health resources for healthcare workers. The push comes nearly a year after Dr. Lorna Breen took her own life in Charlottesville. Thousands of frontline workers have been struggling with mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. Sen. Tim Kaine introduced the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act in hopes of providing immediate and long-term solutions for them. Lorna Breen’s family has also started a foundation in her honor, for more information visit its website here.

DETROIT – Healthcare workers put their lives on the line every day to care for people affected by COVID-19. The risk for certain groups of healthcare workers is very serious. Of the 315,000 coronavirus cases reported to the CDC between February 12 and April 9, there were more than 9,000 who were healthcare workers. Of the 9,000, the CDC reported 723 were hospitalized and 27 died. While the numbers are likely higher, healthcare workers are less likely to hospitalized than the general population.