ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: Scott Austin remembers the early days of COVID at UVA Health.

SCOTT AUSTIN: A lot of unknowns, so that was causing a lot of frustration and irritation amongst a lot of team members, self included ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: The nurse manager says his team was strained, working long shifts and caring for patients while adjusting to the rapidly changing protocols that came along with an unknown virus.

SCOTT AUSTIN: I needed to become a better leader and have talk with team members in a way that I've never needed to do prior to COVID.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: In the healthcare workforce, there's a stigma around seeking mental healthcare, the suicide in 2020 of Charlottesville native and emergency room physician, Dr. Lorna Breen, sparked a nationwide crusade to break that stigma.

COREY FEIST: We envision a world where seeking mental health treatment for healthcare workers is universally viewed as a sign of strength by the workforce.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: Corey Feist co-founded the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation named for his sister-in-law.

He says her death shined a light on an unspoken issue in the system.

COREY FEIST: The stigma around taking a break, let alone getting mental health treatment or speaking to someone about your challenges, is really reinforced from the early days of training.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: Feist says his sister-in-law worried that seeking help could jeopardize her medical license and prevent her from getting future jobs.

The suicide rate among physicians is double the general population with more than 300 physician deaths a year in the US.

Feist's nonprofit is working to prevent employers from inquiring about prior mental health issues during the hiring process and he advocates to pass laws that fund wellbeing programs for healthcare providers.

UVA Health is one of three Virginia institutions to receive funding.

They've already begun implementing a system called Care First Aid.

RICHARD WESTPHAL: One of the advantages of COVID is that it stripped bare the illusion that the healthcare workforce was okay.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: Dr. Richard Westphal developed Care First Aid while working with the military.

He says the approach teaches people how to care for colleagues.

RICHARD WESTPHAL: And like all other forms of first aid, it's a lay response.

It's what do we do first?

It's not being a clinician, it's not being a mental health professional.

This is what peers and buddies and friends and neighbors can share with each other.

SCOTT AUSTIN: Stress first aid, it's very simple, but it's not easy.

Have a conversation with your team and then reach out to your support structures to give them the best help.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: Austin also implements a color coded check-in system that allows team members to easily communicate feelings during a shift.

SCOTT AUSTIN: Let me know if you need anything, okay.

I don't know that I've ever had those type of conversations with employees here at the hospital.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: At Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Dr. Ray McCue, the Chief Medical Officer, says dealing with physician burnout has been a long time challenge.

RAY MCCUE: When you talk about mental health broadly for physicians is because of their commitment and the responsibility to the patient, that has to come first and oftentimes they don't have the avenues to bring that forward.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: In 2020 that changed.

Virginia's legislature passed a safe haven law that provided confidential resources for healthcare students and professionals seeking support.

(keycard reader beeps) Dr. McCue says hospital culture has to change in order to address mental health issues and burnout.

RAY MCCUE: Get rid of the culture of shame and blame and you really have to involve into a culture of trust and transparency.

ADRIENNE MCGIBBON: That shift could lead to a better working environment for caregivers and a safer environment for patients.

COREY FEIST: Just like you care about the wellbeing of your pilot before you get on an airplane, you want your flight crew or your physician or your nurse to be of sound mind and body, be at their best when they're taking care of you and they can't be at their best under the current set of circumstances.