Virginia’s SafeHaven program offers vital mental health resources to support healthcare workers dealing with stress, burnout, and professional challenges. By prioritizing confidentiality and experienced peer coaching, the program has improved health worker retention.
Learn how Virginia’s medical leaders have set the gold standard for in-the-moment health worker mental health support through SafeHaven.
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The Key Takeaways
• SafeHaven is a confidential program that provides medical workers with professional resources to manage stress, burnout, and professional growth. It’s the product of the ongoing partnership between the Medical Society of Virginia and Vital WorkLife.
• SafeHaven leverages a highly vetted network of professional counselors specializing in pertinent healthcare workforce issues. Participants typically schedule appointments within 10 days—four times faster than the national average of 42.
• Virginia doctors have responded overwhelmingly positively to SafeHaven. About 92% of physician clients report that SafeHaven helped them stay in their roles or the medical field.
• The Virginia General Assembly continues to expand the SafeHaven Program in Virginia hospitals to increase healthcare worker well-being, engagement, and retention.
What Is the SafeHaven Program?
SafeHaven is a confidential program designed to provide Virginia’s medical professionals with the support they need to manage stress, burnout, and professional growth. Created by clinicians for clinicians, the program taps into the expertise of VITAL WorkLife, a renowned leader in healthcare workers’ mental health and well-being.
SafeHaven offers a comprehensive range of services, including:
• Mental health support: Tailored services to address stress, anxiety, and burnout.
• Professional guidance: Peer coaching and mentorship to help healthcare workers grow in their careers.
• Financial assistance: Support for navigating financial pressures, such as healthcare education costs, general debt, and budgeting plans.
SafeHaven works in conjunction with state-lead physician health programs (PHPs) by acting as a confidential, in-the-moment resource.
How Virginia Leverages SafeHaven to Support Healthcare Workers
The program started in 2020 as a partnership between the Medical Society of Virginia (MVS) and VITAL WorkLife in response to growing stress in physicians and physician assistants (PAs) during the rise of COVID-19.
MSV and VITAL WorkLife understood that doctors were often reluctant to seek treatment for mood disorders such as depression and suicidal ideation. One study exploring suicidal ideation in American surgeons found that only 26% of participants with recent suicidal ideation sought professional help. In contrast, about 60% avoided help because they believed getting treatment could risk their medical licensure.
As a result, MSV sought to enact statutory protections that allowed healthcare professionals to seek assistance for wellness and burnout without fear or repercussions.
This framework became the basis for SafeHaven, making Virginia the first state to enact statutory protections for medical workers. Under this 2020 law, information or communication originating in SafeHaven is considered privileged and may not be disclosed or produced in a legal proceeding without an order from a circuit court judge showing “good cause arising from extraordinary circumstances.”
Other states have followed suit to codify protections for healthcare workers seeking help, including Arizona, South Dakota, and Indiana. Medical societies and associations across the U.S. turned to the MSV for guidance on how to implement SafeHaven and secure similar legal protections.
Virginia Expands SafeHaven After Overwhelmingly Positive Response
Months after SafeHaven’s initial roll-out, healthcare leadership across the U.S. lauded the program as a landmark accomplishment. Physicians valued having access to confidential care, citing the value of talking to industry peers and professional coaches attuned to the healthcare workforce.
The benefits of SafeHaven were clear.
• According to VITAL WorkLife data, 92% of physician peer coaching clients indicated that SafeHave helped them stay in their careers or remain within the medical field.
• Physician engagement rates were 10 times higher than conventional methods.
• Physicians could access mental health counseling quickly through SafeHaven, scheduling appointments within 10 days. That’s four times faster than the national average of 42 days.
The program was so successful that the Virginia legislature expanded SafeHaven in 2021 to include more medical professionals. SafeHaven now caters to medical students, PA students, nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing students, pharmacists, and pharmacy students.
In 2024, the Virginia General Assembly passed two identical bills aimed at expanding access to SafeHaven. These bills sought to include access for people registered, certified, or licensed by the Board of Dentistry, in addition to students attending dental school or dental hygiene.
They also proposed pathways to give healthcare professionals more timely access to outpatient health treatments related to career fatigue and wellness. This spanned several services, including psychiatric or psychological consultations, access to behavioral health prescriptions, and more. The goal was to ensure that health workers could receive timely treatment to reduce factors negatively impacting their work.
Key SafeHaven Services to Improve Health Worker Well-Being
The SafeHaven program has seen remarkable success in engaging healthcare professionals, far surpassing traditional support solutions.
The main benefit comes from having confidential access to a network of highly vetted coaches who understand the dynamics of working in medicine. Proactive peer coaching enables health workers to address in-the-moment stressors, build resilience, and enhance their mental health.
Currently, SafeHaven developers are working closely with hospital leadership to identify additional services that can support healthcare professionals more holistically, from psychological consultations to financial resources.
SafeHaven’s main services include:
1. Mental Health Support
2. Professional Support
3. Well-Being Support
1. Healthcare Worker Mental Health Support
SafeHaven’s core offering is a robust mental health support program based on in-person and virtual counseling. Services are tailored to address stress, anxiety, burnout, and interpersonal relationship issues but can include other topics as needed.
Participants and their extended family members can receive:
• Up to six sessions with senior-level licensed behavioral health professionals per incident
• Unlimited in-the-moment support
• Non-diagnostic support with referrals for psychological or psychiatric evaluations
• 24/7 support
2. Professional Development for Healthcare Workers
In addition to mental health services, SafeHaven offers professional support through peer coaching, which is designed to inspire personal and career growth. These conversations help participants affirm their feelings while developing strategies to navigate crucial workplace issues.
Participants can receive:
• Access to physician, APP, executive, and nurse coaches
• Up to six sessions per incident with qualified healthcare peers, covering leadership development, conflict resolution, stress management, self-care, and work-life balance
• Resources to address how to set, track, and achieve realistic career goals
• Access to the WorkLife App to manage coaching sessions, evaluate their well-being, and monitor their personal goals
3. Well-Being Resources
SafeHaven goes beyond traditional mental health and professional services by offering practical tools that help healthcare professionals manage both their well-being and daily tasks. Through the SafeHaven WorkLife App, clinicians can access WorkLife Concierge, a 24/7 virtual assistant for daily tasks.
WorkLife Concierge helps participants:
• Manage meal-prep delivery services
• Arrange child or elder care services
• Schedule auto services
• Coordinate relocation services
• Organize entertainment options, event tickets, event planning, and more
Participants also have unlimited phone consultations for financial questions, including identity theft, budget planning, and debt management.
Healthcare Worker Support Programs in Virginia
The SafeHaven program provides Virginia’s dedicated healthcare workforce with mental health, professional, and practical support. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, SafeHaven ensures that professionals across the state have access to the resources they need to thrive both personally and professionally.
Learn more about what makes Virginia’s hospitals unique through On Board Virginia’s resources!
