Turning Awareness Into Access: Healthcare Integration is the Next Phase of Healing
Last year, the Healing Advocacy Fund set out to better understand how Oregonians—the first residents in the nation to have access to state-regulated psilocybin therapy—perceive this new form of care. Partnering with researcher Mindsight, we conducted market research that engaged hundreds of Oregonians living with relevant mental health concerns.
What we found confirmed what many of us already know intuitively: much more education is needed to help people understand psilocybin therapy and feel confident that it can work for them. While most adults surveyed in Oregon hold neutral (45%) or positive (40%) views of psilocybin therapy, only 22% said they were very likely to consider it. Nearly half were unsure or only somewhat open to the idea. And importantly, 70% said they would look first to trusted medical professionals, such as doctors and therapists, for information before deciding whether to pursue psilocybin therapy.
These insights make clear that expanding education for both potential clients and healthcare providers is essential to increasing understanding and access.
That’s why HAF recently launched our new Healthcare Integration Initiative, designed to bring psilocybin therapy into the broader healthcare and behavioral health systems. This effort is building the clinical infrastructure, referral pathways, and educational tools needed to help providers talk confidently about psilocybin therapy and guide their patients safely. Our goal is to demonstrate what healthcare integration can look like, creating a model for Oregon, Colorado, and the broader psychedelic movement.
We’re also helping potential clients make well-informed decisions through our Oregon and Colorado Client Education Guides. Developed with input from psychedelic safety experts, these guides help individuals assess whether psilocybin therapy may be right for them, understand potential risks, and make choices grounded in research and best practices. Regularly updated, they’re already being used by facilitators and healing centers to better inform clients participating in state-regulated programs.
Together, these efforts are building the understanding, trust, and healthcare connection needed to make psychedelic therapy both safe and sustainable in Oregon, Colorado, and beyond.
Taylor West
Executive Director
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
State-Licensed Mushroom Cultivator, Druids Choice
Adrian Martinez is the owner of Druids Choice, a state-licensed mushroom cultivator located in Aurora, Colorado. Druids Choice is dedicated to sustainable practices and quality products, and specializes in a variety of medicinal mushrooms, cultivated in carefully controlled environments to ensure optimal growth. Druids Choice also offers workshops and tours, sharing the fascinating world of fungi with the local community.
Can you share your personal journey into psilocybin cultivation—what inspired you to become a licensed cultivator in Colorado, and what role do you believe you’re fulfilling in this space?
I decided to get into mushroom cultivation when I heard that Proposition 122 (the measure that legalized state-regulated psilocybin therapy) was live. I was already looking into growing for personal mental health reasons, and it's much easier to do something when it's not illegal, so I went from thinking about it, to actually growing mushrooms for myself. My very first mushroom experience came from my own first harvest, and it was amazing and humbling. It did not ‘fix’ the personal problems I was having, but I did realize that the mushrooms can definitely help. This was the main inspiration for becoming a licensed cultivator: I saw and felt the potential for real healing in the mushrooms, and I saw myself as your personal cultivator.
From a practical standpoint, what are some of the biggest challenges and rewards you face in your day-to-day cultivation work?
The best reward is receiving emails from healing centers telling us about the magical experience their clients had. I don't get details about the sessions or the clients but I do get confirmation that real healing was done!
Our biggest challenge is one we are still trying to break through, and that is learning how to cultivate in a high volume commercial setting. All the cultivation information that is available only caters to small, discreet, and clandestine cultivators (understandably so). We have learned how to adapt some culinary cultivation techniques, but I can say we are still far from having it “figured out.”
How do you maintain quality, safety, and ethical standards in your cultivation process?
Quality and safety are pretty simple to maintain through ongoing training, Standard Operating Procedures, and supervision. On the other hand, ethical standards are constantly under review. We have to keep in touch with the values of the company, our employees, our customers, and the public in general.
I am very transparent with my cultivation processes and the data I collect. I’ll give you an example of one of our processes that was guided by ethics instead of business: the use of manure. As a business owner it makes sense to use manure because you get higher yields and potency per pound of substrate, but when you talk to the general public about cultivation everyone always says (with a grimace on their face) “but don't they grow on poop?” I always reply “Yes they do grow on poop, but they don't have to.”
As a cultivator I know that the mushrooms are clean and safe with manure, but that doesn't fully remove the “gross factor” felt by the general public. So we decided not to use the poop for our customers' peace of mind.
Even though cultivators may not interact directly with clients, how do you think about the people who will eventually experience healing through the psilocybin you grow?
I have a lot of respect and admiration for the people actively seeking psilocybin therapy.
Most of them are going through a lot of things I can’t even imagine. I just feel super blessed to have the opportunity to help them.
What excites you most about the future of regulated psilocybin therapy and cultivation in Colorado (and beyond)?
It is exciting to see new strains and hybrid strains coming out. I love looking at Certificates of Analysis (a document from an accredited third-party laboratory that verifies a product’s contents, quality, and safety) and comparing them to each other. We recently started learning about gene isolation and how to create hybrids. Some day we might have an opportunity to name our very own strain!
A Tribute to Dr. Nolan Williams
There are some people you encounter just a few times in life, and they make an impression. Dr. Nolan Williams was one of those people.
I saw him present during Psychedelic Science 2023 and was inspired by his quiet passion and dedication to his work. I approached him afterwards to ask if he’d be willing to lend his voice in support of efforts in Colorado to explore state-regulated access to ibogaine. In subsequent encounters, he brought a calming, grounded presence. It was abundantly clear how deeply Dr. Williams cared about creating access to more effective therapies for people who are suffering and unable to find relief.
We at the Healing Advocacy Fund share in the collective grief to learn of the passing of such a brilliant man earlier this month, whose research touched so many lives. Dr. Williams’ groundbreaking research into the neurobiology of ibogaine and its astonishing impacts on a group of special forces veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and co-occurring conditions deepened our understanding of this powerful medicine. As we take next steps in Colorado to explore legal access pathways, we are thankful for the light that he shone. Our hearts are with Dr. Williams’ family and loved ones during this challenging time.
– Tasia Poinsatte, Colorado State Director
EVENTS
October 30 Webinar: Advanced Illness and OR’s Psilocybin Therapy Program: An Interprofessional Team Approach
Join the Healing Advocacy Fund and the Advanced Illness Coalition of Oregon (AICO) on Thursday October 30th from 5-6pm PT for a webinar on supporting people with advanced illness and their families through an interprofessional team approach within the Oregon psilocybin services framework.
The session will be facilitated by AICO members who developed a guidance document for stakeholders who support this population, drawing on expertise from diverse fields—including chaplaincy, nursing, medicine, palliative and hospice care, academic research, law, as well as anecdotal and lived experience.
The webinar will present key concepts in a format designed to encourage participant engagement. Central to the guidance is interprofessional collaboration among experienced specialists, with the shared goal of promoting safe, informed, and well-prepared legal psilocybin services—for the right client, at the right time, with the right facilitator.
About the speakers: The Advanced Illness Coalition of Oregon (AICO) is a group of psychedelically-informed professionals in healthcare, education, and law who collaborate to provide information about Oregon Psilocybin Services to individuals with advanced illness and those who support them.
> Register for the webinar
November 6 Webinar: Breaking New Ground: First Outcomes from Legal U.S. Psilocybin Services
Join Osmind and Bendable Therapy on November 6, from 9-10 am PT for a webinar presentation of real-world outcomes data from legal psilocybin services in the United States. This data was collected by Bendable Therapy in Oregon as part of a study with Osmind and UCSF’s Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris. This groundbreaking research, with a small subset of results recently presented at Psych Congress 2025, offers a unique glimpse into real-world outcomes and offers key insights for the psychedelics sector.
Findings include:
Never-seen-before data and notable findings such as relationship between group dosing, psychedelic preparedness, dose amount vs outcomes; overview of functional outcomes vs depression / anxiety outcomes.
Key takeaways around the integration of psychedelics into the US healthcare system.
Discussion around different rollout scenarios and the future care delivery landscape for psychedelics.
UPDATES
Colorado: Up to Date Numbers on Natural Medicine Program Licensing
View DOR's list of licensed healing centers in Colorado. You can also search for DORA-licensed facilitators online by selecting "Natural Medicine" from the dropdown menu.
Oregon: Up to Date Numbers on Psilocybin Services Program Licensing
View the Oregon Psilocybin Services Data Dashboard to see the most up-to-date numbers.
HAF Continuing Education Directory on Psilocybin Therapy
We’re excited to unveil the Healing Advocacy Fund’s new National Psilocybin Continuing Education (CE/CME) Directory, now live on our website. This resource is designed for clinicians, therapists, and healing practitioners seeking professional and educational opportunities in psilocybin‑assisted therapy. The directory features a community‑submitted list of CE/CME (Continuing Education/Continuing Medical Education) courses that support safe, evidence‑informed practice.
We encourage you to explore available trainings, and if you know of a course that isn’t yet listed, please submit it for inclusion via this form. Together, this national directory helps strengthen practitioner readiness, foster best practices, and expand responsible access to psychedelic healing. Visit our directory page to learn more.
New Resources: Guides to Psilocybin Therapy for Oregon and Colorado Clients
Curious about psilocybin therapy and how to access it safely? The Healing Advocacy Fund is thrilled to share our Client Education Guides for Oregon (newly updated) and Colorado — created to help adults 21+ make informed, confident choices about this groundbreaking form of healing.
These easy-to-use guides walk readers through everything they need to know: how the state programs work, what psilocybin therapy can and cannot do, and how to navigate important factors like mental health history, family background, and medical safety. Inside, you will also find step-by-step guidance on how to identify and evaluate service centers and facilitators.
People come to psilocybin therapy for many reasons—from addressing depression, anxiety, or trauma to exploring wellness and personal growth. No matter what your motivation, these guides offer clear, evidence-informed insights to help you decide whether psilocybin therapy is right for you.
Explore the guides and share them with others who may benefit—because informed choices are the foundation of safe, accessible psychedelic healing.
> Read the Oregon and Colorado Client Guides
Rethinking Addiction and Recovery Conference Features Panel on Psilocybin Therapies
HAF Colorado Director Tasia Poinsatte moderated a panel on “Psychedelics, Healing and Recovery” at Rethinking Addiction and Recovery, an annual conference organized by the North Colorado Health Alliance. Featuring healing center co-founders Mikki Vogt, LPC LAC (Center Origin) and Scott Shannon, MD (Wholeness Center) along with Psychedelics in Recovery co-founder Kevin Franciotti, LAC, the panel provided an overview of Colorado’s psychedelic care model, with a focus on addiction and recovery. Presentations at conferences and symposia are part of HAF’s ongoing efforts to support foundational education so that healthcare providers can better support clients who are coming to them with questions about psychedelic care.
Colorado Natural Medicine Advisory Board Recommends Adding Ibogaine to Regulated Program
After several months of discussion, Colorado’s Natural Medicine Advisory Board voted to recommend that Colorado implement a Nagoya protocol-compliant framework for regulated access to ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub, which is native to Central West Africa. Traditionally used in spiritual ceremonies by the Bwiti people of Gabon, Cameroon, and the Congo, ibogaine has gained recent attention in modern medicine for its potential to interrupt addiction and support profound psychological healing.
The Colorado board’s recommendation is not binding, but signals an important step forward for safe access to a powerful psychedelic that shows significant potential for alleviating suffering from traumatic brain injury, PTSD, substance use, neurodegenerative and other conditions. Since ibogaine has known cardiac risks, safety regulations would need to be significantly more stringent for ibogaine relative to psilocybin, requiring appropriately trained medical staff onsite along with required medical screening, equipment, and monitoring.
This month, the Board heard a presentation from three doctors who have decades of experience providing legal ibogaine treatment at hospitals and clinics in Mexico and Brazil. The three experts outlined in detail how ibogaine can be administered safely, and offered compelling testimony regarding the impact and transformation they have witnessed among patients.
“I am absolutely convinced [...] that ibogaine alleviates human suffering to degrees that no other intervention currently approved is able to deliver,” said Dr. Fernando Rivas, who is a board-certified emergency physician with experience in addiction medicine and the clinical applications of psychedelics.
Dr. Bruno Rasmussen, founder of the Global Ibogaine Therapists Alliance agreed. “[Ibogaine is] not just for addiction, but for depression too—we see people smiling for the first time, 12 hours after ibogaine, people are smiling for the first time in years. [...] They really gain this new sense of what it is to be alive, what it is to be healthy.”
Webinar Recording: Working with Psilocybin at the End of Life
The Healing Advocacy Fund partnered with Christine Caldwell, Founder and Executive Director of End of Life Psychedelic Care, on a new webinar called “Working with Psilocybin at End of Life." The webinar recording is now available on HAF’s YouTube page.
The webinar provides an in-depth look at psilocybin therapy in the context of terminal and life-threatening illness. It reviews the research demonstrating how psilocybin supports individuals in approaching the end of life with greater clarity, acceptance, and intention. Discussion addresses the unique physiological, emotional, and spiritual needs of clients at this stage, as well as the opportunities and limitations of psilocybin within these settings. In addition, the webinar offers a status update on the evolving landscape of end-of-life psilocybin work in Oregon, Colorado, and New Mexico, highlighting current practices, challenges, and emerging directions in the field.
Webinar Recording: Referrals into the State-Regulated Psilocybin Therapy Programs
On October 22, HAF hosted a discussion about referrals into the state-regulated psilocybin therapy program with Inna Zelikman, PMH-NP of Recovery Without Walls; Joshua White of Fireside Project; and Yuriy Blokhin of Homecoming Health.
The session delves into how to determine whether psilocybin therapy might be a right fit for a client, as well as what kinds of support may be needed before and after the psilocybin experience. It highlights a collaborative referral pathway launched by Homecoming and Fireside Project, which supports complementary practitioners to deliver holistic care as a unified team.
The webinar recording is now available on HAF’s YouTube page.
IN THE NEWS
Catholic Church Pays for Sexual Abuse Victim’s Psilocybin Therapy in Oregon
Willamette Week
Chuck Lovett grew up in a very Catholic family in Altoona, Pennsylvania. His uncle had two pictures hanging in his house: one of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic president of the United States, and another of James Hogan, bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
Lovett met Hogan when he was around 12. He and other boys visited a seminary in nearby Loretto to learn about life in the clergy. As part of the introduction, they swam with priests in the seminary’s pool. In the locker room, Father Francis McCaa molested him.
UNM Researcher Discusses Psychedelic Trial on 'It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science'
It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science
Death is an unavoidable part of life. Yet for many, the thought of dying—or receiving a life-limiting diagnosis—can trigger deep anxiety and depression. Researchers at The University of New Mexico (UNM) are joining a national clinical trial exploring whether a psychedelic compound can help patients facing serious illnesses cope with fear, depression, and distress related to their diagnoses.
> Listen to the podcast
The Rise of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Mental Health Treatment
CBS News
On World Mental Health Day, Dr. Rachel Yehuda, director of the Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai, joins "CBS Mornings Plus" to discuss the growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD and depression, new state legislation, and the ongoing safety questions surrounding these treatments.
> Watch the video
Neurobloom sets sail providing psilocybin treatments
Sopris Sun
On Sept. 2, NeuroBloom, a psilocybin healing center, opened for business at Basalt’s NeuroSpa, a local wellness center for mind and body. The new treatment option is set to expand to NeuroSpa’s Aspen office in November. The wellness center is licensed and regulated by Colorado’s Natural Medicine program, and focuses on helping to treat folks facing challenges such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction.
> Read the article