Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Program.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on the specific criteria that participants must meet beyond being over 21 years old.

Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Program

This law establishes a research program for the University of California to study psilocybin services for veterans and former first responders in up to five counties until January 1, 2031.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a pilot program for studying psilocybin services for veterans and former first responders in up to five counties until January 1, 2031.
• Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to oversee this research program.
• Allows the University of California to partner with local mental health clinics and other community-based providers to run these pilot programs.
• Specifies that psilocybin must be provided by experienced practitioners who have overseen similar therapy services before.
• Requires the University of California to report findings from the pilot program to the state government.

Who It Names or Affects

• Veterans and former first responders in up to five counties who are over 21 years old and meet certain criteria can participate in this research.
• The California Health and Human Services Agency will oversee the program.
• The University of California system, along with local health care providers, will run the pilot programs.

Terms To Know

Psilocybin

A naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms that can be used for mental health therapy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

An independent committee that reviews research involving human subjects to protect their rights and welfare.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify which five counties will be chosen for the pilot program.
• It is unclear how much funding will be available from grants, donations, or federal sources.

Official Summary Text

SB 751, as amended, Becker.
Veterans and
Former
First Responders Research Pilot Program.
Existing law makes it a crime to possess, cultivate, and administer specified controlled substances, including psilocybin and psilocyn. Existing law makes it a crime for a person to rent, lease, or make available for use any building or room for the purpose of storing or distributing any controlled substance.
This bill would, until January 1, 2031,
require the California Health and Human Services Agency to oversee a Veterans and First Responders Research Pilot Program
request the University of California to establish local pilots in up to 5 counties
to allow for the research and development of psilocybin services for
target populations, as defined, in up to 5 counties. The bill would authorize the agency to operate in partnerships with the University of California system. The bill would request the University of California to oversee each local pilot program as a university partner
veterans and former first responders as part of the Veterans and Former
First Responders Research Pilot Program (”Pilot Program“). The bill would require these university partners, overseeing each Pilot Program to be
responsible for protocol design, institutional review board approvals, training of psilocybin facilitators, data collection, and reporting. The bill would require each local pilot
program
to partner with
local mental health clinics, hospice programs, veterans facilities, or other community-based
licensed health care and licensed community-based
providers that provide services and care
to the target population.
The bill would require psilocybin to be provided by or under the supervision of a practitioner who has experience in providing or overseeing psilocybin or other psychedelic therapy services. The bill would require that each person being considered for the Pilot Program meet specified criteria, including that they are 21 years of age or older and have been given specified assessments.
This bill would
require the agency
request the University of California
to report specified information about the
pilot program
Pilot Program
to the
Legislature
Legislature, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and the Governor
by January 15, 2030. The bill would establish the Veterans and
Former
First Responders Research Pilot Special Fund and would continuously appropriate the fund to the
agency
University of California
for the purposes of these provisions. The bill would
authorize the agency
request the University of California
to apply for and accept grants, donations, and federal funding for the purposes of the
pilot program,
Pilot Program,
and would require those moneys to be deposited in
the fund.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF