Huntington Health Recognized for Removing Mental-Health Questions From Credentialing

Huntington Health, the Pasadena hospital affiliated with Cedars-Sinai, has been recognized as a 2026 Wellbeing First Champion by a national coalition that verifies hospitals have removed intrusive mental-health questions from their physician credentialing applications, the hospital announced June 9.

The designation, issued by ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare — a coalition led by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation — confirms that Huntington Health’s credentialing applications for physicians and advanced practice providers, known as APPs, are free of mental-health questions the coalition has identified as a deterrent to clinicians seeking care. The recognition follows Huntington’s 2025 bronze-level designation from the American Medical Association’s Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program.

The Wellbeing First Champion Challenge began in 2022 and now covers licensure boards, health systems, medical groups, health plans and professional liability insurance companies, according to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. Verification reviews initial and renewal applications, peer reference forms and related addenda for questions about mental-health diagnosis and treatment, including substance use disorders.

“This designation as a Wellbeing First Champion is a win for the mental health of our physicians and APPs,” said David Ulick, MD, chair of the Huntington Hospital Physician Executive Wellness Steering Committee (PEWSC), in the hospital’s press release. “Prioritizing mental health and wellbeing not only supports our practitioners, but also helps destigmatize seeking care. It aligns directly with our mission to advance health care with expertise and compassion for every patient.”

Huntington Health, located at 100 W. California Blvd., serves the San Gabriel Valley and houses the region’s only level-II trauma center. The hospital partnered with Marvin Behavioral Health in September 2023 to provide virtual mental-health services for its physicians and medical staff.

According to the press release, the coalition holds that overly invasive mental-health questions on licensing and credentialing forms can discourage healthcare workers from seeking support and are a significant contributor to workforce distress. By eliminating such questions, the press release states, Huntington Health is helping lead a cultural shift within health care, reinforcing that caregiver wellbeing is essential to high-quality patient care.

“Every health worker is a human being who carries the immense weight of caring for others,” said Corey Feist, CEO and co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, which leads the ALL IN coalition. “For too long, caregivers have suffered in silence, fearing that seeking mental health care would jeopardize their careers.”

The ALL IN coalition reported in October 2025 that 1,850 health systems, hospitals, medical centers and other care facilities had been recognized as Wellbeing First Champions. The coalition also cited federal data that U.S. healthcare workers face an 18% higher risk of dying from suicide than the general population.

Other 2026 Wellbeing First Champions named earlier this year include Cooper University Health Care in New Jersey and Community Health Network in Indiana.

To retain the designation, recognized organizations must submit an annual attestation that their applications remain free of invasive language, along with at least three examples of workforce communication about mental-health resources, according to the foundation.

“Huntington Health is helping break that silence,” Feist said in the press release, “sending a powerful message that your life matters as much as your livelihood, and you never have to choose between the two.”

Additional information about available mental-health resources is posted on the ALL IN for Mental Health page, and information about Huntington Health’s Physician Executive Wellness Steering Committee is available through the hospital.