US Senate advances aviation mental health and medication bills
The US Senate has unanimously advanced bills that would streamline FAA mental health certification and establish clearer medication rules for pilots, controllers, and trainees
The US Senate has unanimously passed two bipartisan bills aimed at changing how mental health treatment and medication use are handled in aviation.
The John A Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act (MHAA) would seek to reduce barriers to mental healthcare, accelerate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification decisions, and expand resources for the agency’s Office of Aerospace Medicine. The bill incorporates recommendations from the FAA’s Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC).
The Aviation Medication Transparency Act (AMTA) would require the FAA to publish and annually update a comprehensive list identifying medications that can be safely prescribed to pilots, air traffic controllers, and trainees, as well as those subject to ‘Do not issue’ or ‘Do not fly’ restrictions.
The measures address concerns that aviation personnel may avoid seeking treatment because of potential career consequences. The FAA’s ARC found that around 20% of pilots and controllers reporting a mental health diagnosis were initially disqualified, although fewer than 1% were ultimately denied certification.
“For far too long, pilots have faced a difficult choice between seeking necessary mental health care and maintaining their careers,” said Jason Ambrosi, President of the Air Line Pilots Association. “When pilots know that reporting treatment won’t sideline them for months on end, they’ll come forward, and the FAA gets the information it needs to make sound medical decisions.”
Kristie Greco Johnson of the National Business Aviation Association said the legislation could help strengthen aviation’s safety culture by “increasing transparency and erasing the stigma” around seeking support.
The US House of Representatives has passed its version of the MHAA, while its Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently advanced an AMTA variant. The bills must be reconciled before identical versions can proceed to enactment.
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