Overview
When it comes to workplace mental health, culture and self-care matter, but policy is the game-changer. In this episode, I sit down with Corey Feist, a healthcare leader who turned personal tragedy into national reform. After losing his sister-in-law, Dr. Lorna Breen, to suicide, Corey co-founded the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, leading a movement to remove systemic barriers that keep workers from seeking mental health care.
Today, their advocacy has reached more than 1.5 million healthcare workers nationwide, influencing laws, licensing, credentialing, and insurance practices across the country. Corey shares why changing applications and legal protections is a matter of life and death.
Policy is prevention. Listen in as Corey Feist makes the case that changing systems saves lives and learn how your organization can take the first step this quarter to remove barriers and protect your workforce.
We discuss:
How do workplace policies impact employee mental health?
What is the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, and what do they do?
Why do doctors and professionals fear seeking mental health care?
How can changing credentialing and licensing questions improve workplace wellbeing?
What lessons from healthcare can apply to mental health policies in other industries?
What are the most effective workplace mental health policy changes?
Lessons Learned from Dr. Lorna Breen’s Legacy and Healthcare Professionals’ Barriers to Mental Health Care
One of the most significant barriers to mental health care in professional settings is the way licensing and insurance forms are written. Intrusive questions about past or present mental health treatment often push people away from seeking the support they need, out of fear that honest answers could jeopardize their careers.
In fact, nearly four in ten physicians report that they, or someone they know, have avoided care because of these credentialing questions. The good news is that policy reform is making a difference. Initiatives like the ALL IN / WellBeing First Challenge have led hospitals to remove stigmatizing language from applications. In Virginia, legislation (HB 1573 / SB 970) stripped intrusive mental health questions from professional license applications, and the SafeHaven Law (2024) went further by granting confidentiality, immunity, and privilege protections to care seekers. States like Oregon and Minnesota have also provided strong examples of how reform at the state level can work, with Oregon moving to impairment-only attestation and Minnesota building confidential referral programs.
From these wins come two big lessons for every industry. The first is that how you ask matters. Broad “have you ever” questions create stigma and silence; reframing to “are you currently impaired?” normalizes help-seeking. When organizations follow through, they can earn recognition, like the WellBeing First Champion status, which signals to employees they are safe to seek support.
The second lesson is that confidentiality is key. Even when the application language improves, the fear of disclosure can linger. True psychological safety comes when confidential programs are backed by legal protections—like immunity and privilege—that ensure workers can get help without risking their livelihood. While these approaches began in healthcare, the model is highly transferable. Corporations, unions, and universities can all build SafeHaven-style protections to create cultures where care is a right, not a risk.
Why It Matters Beyond Healthcare
This isn’t just a doctor’s issue. Any workplace that requires credentialing, licensing, or security clearance has the potential to stigmatize mental health care. Corey shows us how reforms in healthcare can serve as a blueprint for construction, education, finance, law, and beyond.
Two Big Takeaways
Supporting worker well-being requires a multidisciplinary approach that brings together law, healthcare, business, and lived experience.
Effective policy starts with listening to frontline workers—their stories illuminate root causes and drive meaningful solutions.
About Corey Feist
Corey Feist is Co-Founder & CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, where he partners with policymakers, health systems, and advocacy groups to reduce burnout, eliminate barriers to care, and shift workplace culture. He led the advocacy that resulted in the first federal law focused on healthcare worker mental health—the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.
A recipient of the Surgeon General’s Medallion for Health (2023), Corey has testified before Congress, speaks nationally on workforce well-being, and brings over 20 years of healthcare law and administration experience, including as CEO of the University of Virginia Physicians Group. He holds a JD and MBA.
