SB 303: Making Oregon’s Psilocybin Therapy Program Better Over Time
I’m writing to update you about a new bill being introduced as Oregon’s legislature convenes this month. Senate Bill 303 is an important piece of legislation designed to ensure that Oregon's psilocybin therapy program is as safe, equitable and accessible as possible. Introduced by Senator Elizabeth Steiner, Senate Bill 303 will create a system to collect information and report on key public health indicators related to psilocybin therapy. This information will enable researchers, regulators and the general public to assess Oregon’s psilocybin therapy program and make changes that improve safety and effectiveness — all while protecting client privacy.
Under the proposed legislation, all psilocybin service providers will collect key information, including the cost of services provided, client demographics, therapy outcomes, the reasons clients are seeking services, the number of people denied services and why they are denied. To protect clients, the information will be reported to the Oregon Health Authority without any personally identifying details.
This information will help researchers and regulators understand key details of Oregon’s psilocybin therapy program, such as how effective, accessible and affordable it is. For example, it will help us understand if specific groups of people (like people of color or rural Oregonians) are able to access psilocybin therapy, or if specific changes are needed to increase access. By helping to identify what’s working and where there’s room for improvement, Senate Bill 303 is an important part of making the program better over time.
Collecting this type of information is frequently done by the Oregon Health Authority and is standard across the healthcare industry. The information gathered will be publicly available to all researchers, and sale to private interests will be prohibited. Strong information analysis has contributed to public health advances, from identifying disease clusters and potential environmental causes for certain cancers to tracking the causes of foodborne illness. Without trustworthy, transparent information about how Oregon’s psilocybin program is being implemented, it will be difficult to address inequities or improve services in ways that solve problems. We strongly support Senate Bill 303 and see it as an important part of creating a safe, equitable and accessible psilocybin therapy program in Oregon.
We’ll keep you updated on any major changes as the bill moves forward.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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