In a blog post for Reuters (3/31), suicide prevention experts Christopher Gandin Le and Jennifer Gandin Le outlined the two steps they believe will help avoid another aviation incident like Germanwings flight 9525. First of all, increased mental health screening is a good idea, they argue, as FAA currently requires that pilots self-report suicidal tendencies, but privacy must also be taken into consideration, lest employees harbor a fear of reprisal for reporting medical conditions. At the same time, the conversation about mental health should not stigmatize anyone with a disorder, and the authors praise the Air Force Suicide Prevention Program as a successful program in this respect.
Related Links:
— “Two-step approach to preventing the next Germanwings disaster,” Christopher and Jennifer Gandin Le, Reuters, March 31, 2015.