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28 states are now exploring legislation or policies for legal psilocybin therapy.
An organization born of Oregon’s 2020 psilocybin ballot measure has a new executive director.
Taylor West is taking the reins of the Healing Advocacy Fund from Sam Chapman, who is moving on to other endeavors in June. The nonprofit fund advocates for and provides education around psilocybin in both Oregon and Colorado.
West is no newcomer to the organization. Although she lives in Denver, she served as an adviser to the Oregon’s pioneering initiative campaign, before serving as a strategic leader of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act campaign in 2022.
Oregon’s program launched last year and has served 3,500 clients to date, while Colorado’s psilocybin program is due to launch early next year.
West has also worked with other psilocybin organizations, including the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative and New Approach, a political organization that supported Oregon’s Measure 109, and co-created the U.C.-Berkeley Psychedelics Survey.
West said the program’s reach in just the first year has been remarkable. There are now 27 licensed service centers around the state, the only places adults can legally partake of psychedelic mushrooms under the supervision of a licensed facilitator, of which there are 326. While Oregon’s program is not therapeutic, per se, studies have shown psilocybin can be effective in treating depression, anxiety and PTSD.
West also noted the changing public attitudes around psychedelics.
“I’ve watched as this topic is something people are curious about, openminded about and willing to change their mind about when given good information, which is such a rare thing nowadays, she said.
West says the change indicates “how much people are searching for better ways to improve mental health and mental illness and recognizing what we have now is not working for everyone and people are searching for better tools to add to the toolbox.”
Heidi Pendergast, the Healing Advocacy Fund’s Oregon director, said she expects 7,000 people to participate in psilocybin sessions this year, twice as many as last year.
“A quiet revolution is happening, where people are learning about and understanding this and seeing family and friends going through a life-changing experience,” Pendergast said.
Costs have also come down somewhat. Whereas in the first year, a trip could cost $1,500 to $3,500 or more, now a group session runs around $750 and individual sessions average $1,200, Pendergast said. Centers are required to have social equity plans, including sliding scale rates and scholarships.
With Oregon leading the way, now 28 states are considering some form of legislation or policy related to psychedelics.
“We hope Oregon is a beacon of light as to what can happen with psilocybin and we see other states take it on,” Pendergast said.
“We’re learning so much in these early states,” West added. “We’re setting ourselves up to build these programs and help them expand to other states and heal more people.”
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Oregon psilocybin advocate Healing Advocacy Fund names new director – The Business Journals
