Oregon Psilocybin Services Information

In November of 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 109 that directs the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to regulate and license Psilocybin Services.  Currently, OHA is establishing the parameters for psilocybin to be used on an individual or possibly small group basis, overseen by a trained "Facilitator," only in a licensed facility.  Because of this measure, Psilocybin Services are available as of January 3, 2023. 

While the measure was presented to and passed by Oregon voters as a mental health treatment option, now that the measure has passed, OHA and its advisory board have decided to backstep from this. The Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS) Board has stated that the program is not to be a clinical or medical model but rather a tool in the overall wellbeing toolbox conducted on an informed-consent basis. OPS offers supported adult use of psilocybin. 

OPS facilitators are not providing mental health therapy. They are only allowed to administer psilocybin and be present with your during a session. They operate under an Informed Consent model. Please consider your personal needs if using this program versus other options available.

Due to the gap created by the change in scope of OHA, PATA was created to educate people on how they can obtain a level of mental health therapeutic service that many Oregonians want and expected from a psilocybin service. Below are details about OPS and their work on the supervised use of psilocybin in a licensed setting, and at the bottom of this page you'll find our recommendation for those seeking mental health care in Oregon using Psilocybin Services.

When you're ready to see if PAT may be right for you, take our free PAT Self-Assessment Tool. This quick and direct process can be a guide to see if using psilocybin could help with your mental health and if we recommend incorporating a Licensed Mental Health Professional into your experience.

For those who are interested in Psilocybin Services for mental health treatment, a trained and licensed mental health therapist must be involved in the process because OPS is not mental health treatment or therapy. Having a licensed therapist will help ensure that seekers of actual Psilocybin Assisted Therapy receive quality, ethical mental health care and attain the best possible outcomes for their mental health goals.

While licensed therapists cannot be present during administration of psilocybin (unless they're dually licensed as an OPS facilitator), to achieve the best mental health outcomes, a licensed therapist should be involved in the preparation/safety-planning process and especially in your post-session integration.

OPS's goal is to establish the framework for individuals 21 and over to receive Psilocybin Services (described below) at a licensed facility by a licensed facilitator. Psilocybin will be provided by regulated producers who deliver the substance to the facility for administration on site only.

OPS allows licensed facilitators  (defined below) to conduct individual sessions of 6-8 hours duration with clients whom they have given a dose of psilocybin while remaining present at a licensed facility. Under the direction of the Oregon Health Authority, OPS regulates and licenses the manufacturing, transportation, delivery, sale, and purchase of psilocybin.

OPS began as operational on January 1, 2023. 

This is truly the million-dollar question. The OPS advisory board's first task was to review the clinical research about psilocybin that is available. They did so (see Rapid Review) and concluded in their report to OPS that, "According to what currently exists and has been reviewed, therapeutic services for improved mental health outcomes consist of three types of sessions.:

• The first type is the preparation session(s) during which a mental health and risk assessment may be conducted, as well as intention- or goal-setting.
• This is followed by a second separate administration session where the client is administered and experiences -
• At a licensed clinic while under the guidance of a facilitator. The client remains at the licensed facility for the duration of the experience and is released by the facilitator. 
• A third type of session, the integration session, may occur at a future time to discuss and learn from the experience with the facilitator.  

NOTE, however, that the OPS board has removed "mental health therapy" and "treatment" from their official recommendation for service provision.

Facilitators will be individuals over the age of 21 who are licensed by the State of Oregon. Minimum requirements are for adults to have a GED education and have passed a required 120-160 hour training program. Training programs are provided by various entities in Oregon.  

Licensed Facilitators are not required to have mental health therapy education or licensure. Licensed therapists may become facilitators if they complete facilitator training. However, they are not allowed to provide therapy while an individual is under the influence of psilocybin. 

No. There is no requirement that facilitators be licensed mental health therapists, and a facilitator license does NOT equal a mental health professional license.

Licensed mental health professionals can choose to become licensed by OPS for psilocybin services. They would then need to be both licensed therapists and licensed facilitators. If they are going to administer psilocybin they are prohibited from concurrently acting as a licensed therapist and facilitator. Psilocybin facilitation is not mental health therapy or treatment. 

Licensed mental health therapists in Oregon have a minimum of a graduate degree (a bachelor's degree plus an additional 2-5 years of education and supervised experience). As licensees, they are already bound by strict guidelines and ethics, trained in screening and assessment, experienced in helping others with goal- and intention-setting, and specialized in helping others integrate new information that facilitates change, personal growth, and reductions in stress and symptoms.

Licensed mental health therapists have at least a master's degree in counseling, counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, or social work, have undergone a practicum/internship of 6-12 months, and have written an extensive research paper on a specialty subject of their choice. In addition, they must do two years of post-degree, full-time experience providing therapy under the supervision of a more experienced therapist. Then, licensed therapists must seek 20 additional hours of education and training every year.  

If you are seeking Psilocybin Assisted Therapy as a mental health treatment or therapy to treat a diagnosis, a psilocybin facilitator should not and cannot provide this unless they also have mental health professional education and licensure as described above, and are conducting therapy outside of an OPS facility. Furthermore, they may face ethical or licensing consequences if dually licensed, as there is no national or state regulatory board that endorses psilocybin use, and psilocybin is still federally illegal.

The actual cost will vary and is as yet unknown, but this may range from several hundred to several thousand dollars for one session.  Given that, OPS may not function as equitable or affordable to the general public, marginalized populations, or those with economic barriers. As long as there is no requirement for a licensed mental health or medical professional to be involved in provision of services, Oregon Psilocybin Service will not be covered by insurance. Factors affecting the potentially very high costs include things such as:

• The hourly rate for a facilitator for 8+ hours of service, potentially over the course of three types of sessions that may be offered. 
• Hourly rate will vary on facilitator experience and determination; but facilitators must spend several thousand dollars on training and $2000 annually for licensure. 
• The cost of the facility for the 8-hour treatment session. Facilities must spend $10,000 initially and annually to retain a facility license.
• The psilocybin product, that includes costs for manufacturing, testing, and transporting
• Costs could include an additional dosing sitter to assist the primary facilitator during the administration session.

Current projections are for a single session to cost from hundreds of dollars to thousands. Many facilities are incorporating their own ceremony or unique experience surrounding a session that could cost over $10,000.

Following are the main questions we have regarding Measure 109's current provisions for Psilocybin Services:

• Whether the role of therapist as different from OPS facilitator will be clear to the voters, public, and interested consumers, and that Psilocybin Services are not the same as therapy or mental health treatment
• In what environments will treatment sessions be allowed, and are they acceptable for a psilocybin experience that potentially takes longer than other psychedelic assisted therapies?
• At which facilities will group sessions be offered, how much more affordable will this be, and what problems may arise from this model? 
• Is the Oregon model being produced by OPS a feasible option considering potential costs? Will it be affordable for the average client? Does the model's equity plan rely on use of public donations?
• Will licensed mental health professionals who are also licensed facilitators face consequences from their licensing board for having two different "hats"?
• How will OPS honor the existing underground movement, the interest and "YES" votes that led to Measure 109 which has since changed scope away from mental health treatment, and will they somehow demonstrate and honor their own recommendation that "psilocybin shows promise as a mental health therapy"?