President Biden signs bill named in memory of Lorna Breen, a doctor from Charlottesville

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - On Friday, President Joe Biden signed the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act into law.

The bill was sponsored by Virginia U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat, who was at the White House for the signing. Members of Breen’s family, who now run the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation, were also there.

The bill was named for Dr. Lorna Breen, the New York-based doctor from Charlottesville, who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers mental health services to health care workers.

“[The bill will help] do research onto the best mental health strategies for our health care providers, and then to fund programs at providers, medical schools, nursing schools, that will help people figure out strategies to keep themselves well as they’re doing the important work we ask them to do every day,” said Kaine in a video posted to social media.

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, you can call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

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