The Virginia General Assembly has passed two identical bills in the 2024 session to: 1) expand access to the SafeHaven program to dentists and dental hygienists; 2) authorize the SafeHaven program to provide outpatient health care to health care professionals; and 3) encourage health care professionals to voluntarily seek behavioral health services without fear of mandatory reports to health regulatory boards in every circumstance. Both bills become law on July 1, 2024.

In 2020, Virginia became the first state in the nation to enact statutory protections to enable health care professionals to seek assistance for fatigue, wellness and burnout without fear of licensure or liability repercussions for doing so. The initiative…