Removing Barriers to Mental Health Care for Health Workers

Dr. Stefanie Simmons (Emergency Medicine Physician; CMO, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation) explains ways we can shift the mindset around licensing and support for mental health care. She commends UW Medicine for receiving the All In Credentialing Champions Challenge Award for removing stigmatizing language and adding support resources in credentialing applications related to mental health and substance use disorders. Dr. Simmons promotes expanding our definition of patient-centeredness to include self care and our holistic identities outside of our jobs. She walks through a color-coded framework for folks worrying about their own mental health or substance use and delineates resources available to anyone seeking support. Finally, she reminds us all that compassion without self-compassion is incomplete.A few resources mentioned in this episode can be accessed at the links below:WA EAP (Employee Assistance Program)UW Medicine Peer to Peer ProgramWPHP (Washington Physicians Health Program)UW Well-Being and Support ResourcesMusic by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com/)