Definition

The Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC) is a U.S.-based nonpartisan organization that advocates for legislative change on how mental health issues are handled within the aviation industry.

Description

PMHC's website says, "Our mission is to reform Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations concerning mental health and establish a culture within the aviation industry that places a higher emphasis on the wellbeing and safety of its pilots, while enhancing flight safety." Founded in 2023, PMHC's board includes pilots, physicians, a mental health clinician, and attorneys.

Activities

PMHC partners with the University of Washington's Aviation Lab in Seattle, Washington, to run the Health and Aviation University Studies for Evidence-Based Reform (HAUSER) Project, aimed at changing mental health policy. The project is named for the late John Hauser, former commercial aviation student at the University of North Dakota.

The organisation has also backed the Mental Health in Aviation Act. According to PMHC, the legislation would "require the FAA to modernise its approach to mental health protocols, direct funding to address the FAA's backlog in medical certificate processing wait times, and create a public information campaign to destigmatize the culture of silence around mental health in aviation."

PMHC maintains a list of resources for fliers seeking mental health information and support.