The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure is recognized as a Wellbeing First Champion by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation. This page explains what that designation stands for, what the Board did to earn it, and why it matters for physicians, other licensees, and the patients they serve.
What this badge stands for
The Wellbeing First Champion designation comes from the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation. The Foundation was established in 2020 in memory of Dr. Lorna Breen, a New York City emergency room physician who died by suicide during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation's mission is to reduce burnout among health care professionals and safeguard their well-being and job satisfaction. Its vision, in the Foundation's own words, is "a world where seeking mental health services is universally viewed as a sign of strength."
The Foundation's Wellbeing First Champion Challenge recognizes licensure boards that have removed intrusive mental health questions from their licensing applications. Recognition is not a one-time event. Each year, a board must verify that its applications, both initial and renewal, remain:
- Free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language.
- Focused on whether a licensee has a current impairment that affects their ability to practice competently and ethically.
- Consistent with the national best practices set by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the Federation of State Medical Boards.
Boards must also submit examples of ongoing workforce education about the safety of seeking mental health care. The badge displays the year of recognition. The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure is among the state medical boards currently recognized.
What the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure did to earn it
In 2018, the Board replaced its older application language with a single attestation. Before the change, licensees were required to disclose whether they had been diagnosed with or treated for specific mental health conditions, including psychiatric disorders and substance use issues. National research and Federation of State Medical Boards guidance had documented that this kind of question discourages physicians from seeking care, because seeking care creates a record that must then be disclosed. The result was worse for patient safety, not better.
The current Health Notice, which every applicant must acknowledge inside the Board's Medical Enforcement Licensing System (MELS) at the time of application, reads:
The Board recognizes that licensees may suffer from potentially impairing health conditions, just like their patients, including psychiatric illnesses, physical illnesses which may impact cognition, and substance use disorders. The Board expects its licensees to properly address their health concerns, in order to ensure patient safety. Licensees should seek appropriate medical care and should limit their medical practice, when appropriate.
The Board encourages licensees to utilize the services of the Mississippi Physician Health Program, a confidential resource which provides advocacy for licensees who may suffer from potentially impairing illnesses. (www.msphp.com)
The failure of a licensee to adequately address any health condition which may impair their ability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients, will likely result in the board taking action against the license to practice medicine.
The attestation does not ask whether a licensee has any specific condition. It holds licensees accountable for addressing any condition that would impair safe practice, and it directs them to the Mississippi Physician Health Program. The Board is the primary financial supporter of the program. Physicians who seek help from the program voluntarily are anonymous to the Board by design.
The Board's adoption of this attestation model was documented in the November 2023 issue of the Journal of Medical Regulation.
This attestation applies to every licensee of the Board: physicians (MD and DO), doctors of podiatric medicine, physician assistants, resident applicants, acupuncturists, and licensed x-ray machine operators.
Why this matters
Patient safety is the Board's reason for existing. A licensee whose health condition impairs their ability to practice safely is a patient-safety concern. The most reliable path to safer practice is a licensee who has identified that concern, sought competent care for it, and adjusted their practice accordingly. The application language a licensure board uses either supports that path or obstructs it.
The Foundation describes intrusive mental health questions on licensing applications as "a primary driver of suicide in the healthcare workforce." Health workers, in the Foundation's words, "deserve the right to pursue mental health care without fear of losing their job." The Board agrees. The 2018 attestation change, and the Board's continued financial support of the Mississippi Physician Health Program, reflect that position.
If you are a physician licensed in Mississippi, the Mississippi Physician Health Program is a confidential resource. It is available to you regardless of whether you are currently in any kind of trouble. Information about the program is at www.msphp.com.