First Psilocybin Service Center Licensed in Oregon
The Oregon psilocybin therapy program just took a HUGE, historical step forward today as Epic Healing Eugene announced that it is the first psilocybin service center to receive a license from the Oregon Health Authority!
As you may already know, the Oregon Health Authority, working with a Governor-appointed board of researchers, health care professionals and advocates, spent two years developing a strict set of regulations to govern the program, which were finalized and released in January. Facilitators have been graduating from their training programs and receiving their licenses from the state, as have psilocybin manufacturers and testing labs to ensure product safety, potency and quality. Until today, no service center had been licensed, though the Oregon Health Authority has a number of centers awaiting licensing in its application queue.
“We are excited to be the first service center licensed in Oregon and to be able to open our doors for the many clients who will benefit from our transformational psychedelic-assisted therapy in a safe, nurturing space,” said Cathy Rosewell Jonas, the founder and owner of EPIC Healing Eugene.
Photo: OPB
Cathy is a licensed social worker and is also trained and licensed in Oregon as psilocybin therapy facilitator. Cathy expects to open her doors to clients this month and plans to serve up to 30 people each month, assisted by her team.
Speaking of reasons to celebrate, a big congrats to all of our friends at Subtle Winds who just wrapped up their first cohort of 35 psilocybin facilitators.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Why Support the Healing Advocacy Fund? Meet Emil Gerth
Our work is fueled by your generosity, especially in these first months of implementation. By donating to the Healing Advocacy Fund, you can directly impact people who are suffering and who deserve access to this life-changing treatment.
"I support Healing Advocacy Fund because they have demonstrated commitment to an approach both scientific and compassionate. Their awareness of equity issues and other concerns beyond just licensure shows a systemic approach focused on the long-term success of psychedelic medicine."
— EMIL GERTH
Photo: Sarah Giffrow of Upswept Creative
Join Emil and support our movement by donating to the Healing Advocacy Fund.
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Fireside Project’s Psychedelic Peer Support Line Can Help Facilitators in Oregon
Our friends at the Fireside Project want facilitators and service centers to know how their psychedelic peer support line can support the program.
A free helpline for people processing past psychedelic experiences, Fireside Project can be reached via call or text at 62-FIRESIDE (623-473-7433) during the hours of 11am to 11pm Pacific, 7 days a week. People can also download their app at www.firesideproject.org/app.
Who answers the calls?
Peer-support volunteers who have had their own psychedelic experiences, and they’re rigorously trained to listen compassionately and non-judgmentally.
How can it help Oregon facilitators?
It’s available nights and weekends, when many facilitators aren’t
It’s free integration support
It complements other forms of support—it’s a confidential way for people to process their experiences from another person who also has experience
Facilitators can call to receive their own emotional support
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
SB 303 Progresses in Oregon State Legislature
Earlier this week, the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee held a public hearing on SB303, a bill that aims to ensure there’s a mechanism to report on key information on the psilocybin program. You can our testimony to the committee here.
We’ve appreciated the opportunity to work with community members in Oregon and are proud of the progress that’s been made to date to strengthen this bill. We also know that there’s been a last minute push for amendments to the bill, and while we appreciate the sentiment and align with the ethos, we do not agree that there’s a need to amend the bill. You can find our testimony in support of the A-Engrossed version of SB 303 here, and direct response to the proposed amendments to the bill here. The advancement of this bill brings us one step closer to moving this program forward in a safe, equitable, and effective manner.
Colorado Legislature Paves the Way for Safe Access to Psychedelic Therapies
The historic passage of the Natural Medicine Health Act last November created pathways for millions of people across Colorado to safely access the healing potential of psychedelic medicines in supportive settings. This week, the Colorado legislature passed Senate Bill 290—with bipartisan support in both chambers—to implement and strengthen the Natural Medicine Health Act. It now awaits a signature from Governor Jared Polis.
The bill includes thoughtful changes to capitalize on existing state resources and capacity that will keep costs down while adding important equity and access provisions. At the beginning of this legislative session, there were concerns about a push to completely overhaul Proposition 122, stripping away much of its transformative impact and dramatically restricting access to natural medicines. Through our role as policy experts, we engaged with lawmakers throughout the drafting process to ensure the bill would clarify and define where needed without changing core elements of the voter-approved ballot measure. Thanks to a thorough stakeholder process led by HAF that included doctors, patients, public health experts, veterans, and many others with expertise related to natural medicine therapy, lawmakers wrote and passed a strong bill that complements the strong foundation laid by the Natural Medicine Health Act.
EVENTS
UPCOMING WEBINAR
280E and Psilocybin: Understanding and Mitigating the Impacts
Join us on Tuesday, May 16th at 2pm-3:30 PT for an educational webinar covering the implications of Internal Revenue Code 280E on Oregon Psilocybin Services Act businesses and facilitators. In this groundbreaking field of state regulated psychedelic access, knowledge and expertise are quickly evolving on how to mitigate the impacts of 280E. Our panel of speakers include tax and business law experts who will discuss creative business structuring solutions to help mitigate 280E’s impact, including practical perspectives from CPAs and tax attorneys with deep knowledge concerning the IRS’ approach to 280E.
If you are a potential service center or looking to work as a psilocybin facilitator, this webinar is for you. There will be ample time for Q&A, so be sure to bring questions with you.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER
New Psychedelic Medicine Association Course
The Psychedelic Medicine Association is excited to announce the release of their first-ever CME/CE accredited course: Managing Medical Risk in Patients Seeking Psilocybin Therapy. If you would like to learn more, you can access the recorded webinar that discusses the course, and what you can expect to learn throughout.
Aspen Psychedelic Symposium: Friday, June 2, 2023
Join Aspen Public Radio, Healing Advocacy Fund, and the Aspen Psychedelic Resource Center for the inaugural Aspen Psychedelic Symposium at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. The Natural Medicine Health Act represents a massive shift in public perception regarding psychedelics, and this day-long event is a deep dive into the tradition, science, and advocacy behind integrating these life-saving medicines into modern culture.
Discussion panels include experts from Colorado and across the country, including researchers, scientists, doctors, and others working in the field— alongside individuals who have had life-changing experiences. Topics: an overview of psychedelics currently in use, breakthroughs in neuroscience, mental health applications, cultural context, ceremonial use, and more. The event culminates in a keynote address by Dennis Mckenna to end the day.
On Thursday, June 1, symposium participants will be invited to the Isis Theatre thanks to a collaboration with Aspen Film, to enjoy a complimentary screening of PSYCHEDELIA (2021), an hour-long documentary film about psychedelic drugs and their ability to induce mystical, or religious experiences. The film explores this relationship by chronicling their use in controlled research studies prior to the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, at a time when LSD was regarded as one of the most promising discoveries in the field of psychiatry.
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