AHA-supported resolution introduced to designate today as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day

Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., today introduced a bicameral resolution designating Sept. 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. Along with the AHA, other supporting organizations include the American College of Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident and Student Association, and the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.

“Given the high levels of stress, burnout, physical and mental harm caused to physicians by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that we must do more to foster and promote physician mental health,” said Stevens. “In order to change this risk and trajectory, we must be able to talk about physician suicide openly.”

View suicide-prevention resources here, and read a blog with physician-specific resources from J. Corey Feist, co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation.