The Heal Our Heroes Act will help veterans and first responders
Sacramento, CA – Today Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) and Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) introduced the bipartisan “Heal Our Heroes Act” as Senate Bill 803, creates a narrowly tailored pilot program to allow military veterans and first responders to access psilocybin and psilocin for mental health treatment in a regulated setting.
Specifically, SB 803 authorizes the counties of San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and San Diego to run a pilot program to offer treatment using psilocybin or psilocin to military veterans or first responders. The counties will be responsible for authorizing the facilitators who must be a licensed physician or surgeon, clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, licensed professional clinical counselor, or a naturopathic doctor. The pilot sunsets after three years and requires data collection and reporting at the two year mark. The program includes several safety measures, such as requiring a suitability screening for each participant to ensure they are a safe candidate for treatment.
“SB 803 is an entirely new and innovative effort that is the result of comprehensive discussions on how the state can best support our veterans and first responders with a viable treatment for work-induced post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Becker. “We have a responsibility to do everything possible to provide quality care to these heroes, and I am proud to jointly author this bipartisan effort that will have a real impact on the people who serve our state and country.”
“As a dedicated advocate for veterans and first responders, I firmly believe it is our duty to do everything in our power to support and heal the brave individuals who served our country and communities and are now grappling with severe PTSD as a result of their service,” said Leader Jones. “To be clear, I’m not calling for the widespread legalization of psychedelic drugs. Rather, I’m championing a targeted medical treatment aimed specifically at aiding veterans and first responders in their recovery. The Heal Our Heroes Act is a thoughtful and balanced measure designed to rigorously study the effectiveness of these treatments with the hope of providing much-needed relief to those patients need it most.”
SB 803 is sponsored by Heroic Hearts Project, Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) and Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS). It is currently on the Assembly Floor, where it is awaiting referral to committee for consideration.