Columbia News

University of Missouri Health Care and the Mizzou School of Medicine have been named a 2025 Wellbeing First Champion by ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare. This recognition is given to health care organizations that have ensured their credentialing applications do not include intrusive or stigmatizing language regarding mental health care and treatment, allowing employees to seek help without fear of professional repercussions.

“The wellbeing of our health care team is essential to the care we provide our patients,” said Dr. Shelly Farnan, chief wellness officer. “We are proud to be recognized as a Wellbeing First Champion, and we remain committed to building a culture where caring for the well-being of our healers strengthens the care we provide every patient.”

ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare is a coalition that works with leading health care organizations to remove barriers to mental health care for health workers. The coalition verifies annually that participating organizations have removed stigmatizing language from their 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. We as a nation must better protect these lives, and I applaud our Wellbeing First Champions for their leadership to support the wellbeing of health workers.”