Safety
FAA ARC To Tackle Mental Health Barriers
ARC announcement came as NTSB holds summit on mental health issues in aviation
Jennifer Homendy
Jennifer Homendy has presided over many high-profile events at NTSB, including the agency's probe into mental health issues.

The FAA has established a Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC) tasked with providing recommendations on breaking down “any remaining barriers” to discourage pilots and air traffic controllers from seeking mental health care.

ARC participants will be announced shortly, the agency said, but the rulemaking will have a tight timeline, with recommendations due by the end of March. The agency said the committee’s work is intended to build on its previous work to prioritize pilot mental health.