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2 days ago
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 (H.R. 2591) has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, marking a massive step toward reversing the culture of fear around mental health in aviation. The Mental Health in Aviation Act requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to modernize its mental health policies and practices in several significant ways, including:
- Revise FAA regulations that discourage aviation professionals from seeking mental health treatment.
- Remove disincentives discouraging aviators from disclosing mental health care needs.
- Allocate funding to address the backlog in medical certificate processing.
- Hire and train more aeromedical examiners with psychiatric or psychological experience.
- Launch a public education campaign to destigmatize mental health care in aviation, to broaden understanding of mental health supports available, and to re-establish trust with pilots and air traffic controllers.
- Fully implement the 24 recommendations made by the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee in April 2024.
"We want our pilots to be at the top of their game, and taking care of their mental health is critical in achieving that goal," said Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), who sponsored the bill along with Congressman Sean Casten.
“The MHAA is a monumental achievement that wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of Rep. Casten and Rep. Stauber. Today, Congress listened and acted. But it took years of tireless advocacy from countless pilots, air traffic controllers, medical experts, mental health professionals, and leaders from across the aviation industry to make this happen.
I’m proud that PMHC has helped raise awareness of aviators’ stories and the mental health crisis in aviation, and to chart the way forward to a modern aeromedical system that supports pilot and passenger safety,” said PMHC Executive Director Chris Finlayson.
"Today, pilots and air traffic controllers who receive mental healthcare are unfairly penalized by a system that perpetuates a culture of silence...This often leaves the folks tasked with keeping our skies safe with an absolutely terrible choice: get help, and put your career and your paycheck on hold, or keep your career on track and just hope you'll get better. It doesn't make our skies safer but it does lead to horrible and avoidable tragedies," said Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06).
The legislation is endorsed by the Pilot Mental Health Campaign, Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, National Flight Training Alliance, the National Business Aviation Association, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA). A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate this fall.
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For more information or interview requests, contact:
Dan Mantooth, Media Director, [email protected]
About the Pilot Mental Health Campaign
The Pilot Mental Health Campaign is the first and only advocacy organization dedicated exclusively to reforming the broken American aeromedical system and building a safe, effective, and modern system that supports the mental health and wellbeing of American pilots. We are aviators, legal experts, mental health professionals, and loved ones failed by the current system, and we collaborate with industry stakeholders, mental health experts, policymakers, and all who believe mental health affects everybody. For more information, visit pmhc.org.
