Connecticut House Approves Psychedelic Treatments For Vets, Retired First Responders & Health Care Workers

The Connecticut House of Representatives approved a budget bill that includes provisions to grant certain patients access to MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-assisted therapy, reported Marijuana Moment.

The bill would create psychedelic treatment centers in the state as part of an expanded access program for investigational new drugs approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The legislation would not legalize psychedelics, it would set up a regulatory infrastructure to enable Connecticut to play a leading role in providing access to alternative treatments for military veterans, retired first responders and health care workers.

Raised Bill No.5396 establishes the Psychedelic Treatment Advisory Board, “which shall be part of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.” The board shall advise the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on the design and development of the regulations and infrastructure necessary to safely allow for therapeutic access to psychedelic-assisted therapy upon the legalization of MDMA, psilocybin and any other psychedelic compounds.

The board shall be responsible for:

• Reviewing and considering the data from the psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program (...) to inform the development of such regulations. 
• Advising the department on the necessary education, training, licensing and credentialing of therapists and facilitators, patient safety, harm reduction, the establishment of equity measures in both clinical and therapeutic settings, cost and insurance reimbursement considerations and standards of treatment facilities. 
• Advising the department on the use of group therapy and other therapy options to reduce cost and maximize public health benefits from psychedelic treatments.
• Monitoring updated federal regulations and guidelines for referral and consideration by the state agencies of cognizance for implementation of such regulations and guidelines.
• Developing a long-term strategic plan to improve mental health care through the use of psychedelic treatment.
• Recommending equity measures for clinical subject recruitment and facilitator training recruitment
• Assisting with the development of public awareness and education campaigns.

The board shall include “members with experience or expertise in psychedelic research, psychedelic-assisted therapy, public health, access to mental and behavioral health care in underserved communities, veteran mental and behavioral health care, harm reduction and sacramental use of psychedelic substances.”

Image By Ilona Szentivanyi.