Advancing Health and Wellbeing in the Military and Veteran Community: A Discussion of Psychedelics and Mental Health
Preparing for psychedelic-assisted therapy
How do we prepare for psychedelic-assisted therapy in the military and veteran community?
How can we plan for related concerns regarding clinical implementation and equity of care?
To begin to address the questions, in May 2022, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) and the George W. Bush Institute hosted a roundtable to discuss the necessary preparation for psychedelic-assisted therapy, any concerns regarding clinical implementation, and the equity of care. This convening complemented prior convenings, panels, and lecture series that discussed the science of psychedelics in mental health and provided testimonials of personal experience. Participants included experts in mental health clinical care, evidence-based therapy for PTSD, suicide prevention, brain research, clinical logistics and training, professional qualifications for clinicians, public policy, and legislation.
The convening highlights include the following:
- Psychedelic substances, their application and evidence base differ
- Psychedelics are not a magic pill
- It is important to understand the evidence and how these drugs work in the body.
- Pragmatic treatments differ for civilians, veterans, and active-duty military
- Equity of care is an important consideration
Access the convening discussion overview, below.
