Augusta Health Recognized as a Wellbeing First Champion Supporting the Wellbeing of Providers

FISHERSVILLE, Virginia— In recognition of January as Mental Wellness Month, Augusta Health is proud to announce that it has maintained its status as a Wellbeing First Champion through ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, reaffirming its commitment to fostering a supportive, stigma-free environment for health care providers.

As a Wellbeing First Champion, Augusta Health has verified that its credentialing applications are free of intrusive and stigmatizing language related to mental health care and treatment. This important step helps ensure that all providers can seek mental health care when needed, without fear that doing so could jeopardize their licenses, credentials, or employment.

“Mental Wellness Month is a meaningful time to reaffirm our commitment to caring for those who care for others,” said Nelly A. Maybee, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology. “Augusta Health’s leadership recognizes that taking care of our community also means supporting healthcare workers — so much so that clinician well-being is now embedded in our five-year strategic plan. The well-being of healthcare workers manifests in many ways: destigmatizing mental health treatment, strengthening human connections at work, and leveraging the Electronic Health Records to improve the provider workday, just to name a few. Augusta Health is proud to carry forward the mission of the Lorna Breen Foundation and contribute to this critically important work.”

Each year, ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare checks to make sure all harmful or stigmatizing language about mental health is removed from applications. “Across the country, health workers are at an increased risk for burnout and mental health conditions,” said Corey Feist, co- founder of ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation. “Many health workers feel they cannot speak up about their mental health without being criticized by colleagues or losing their jobs. Today, physicians and nurses die by suicide at two times the rate of the general population. As a nation, we must better protect these lives. and I applaud our Wellbeing First Champions for their leadership to support the wellbeing of health workers.”

Augusta Health is sharing this recognition during Mental Wellness Month as part of its continued focus on clinician well-being and mental health support. To learn more about how Augusta Health supports workers, please visitcanopywell.com.