A major bipartisan bill introduced on April 3rd in Congress signals a potential turning point in both psychedelic policy and the future of veterans’ healthcare. The Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act of 2025, led by Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), proposes the creation of new centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to study and offer access to psychedelic-assisted therapies.
If passed, the legislation would establish at least five “Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence” across the U.S., where treatments like MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine, ketamine, and 5-MeO-DMT could be administered in tightly controlled clinical settings. The bill reflects a growing recognition that traditional psychiatric and pain management approaches are not meeting the needs of many veterans—and that alternative treatments deserve serious scientific and medical attention.
What’s in the Bill
The proposed legislation outlines a comprehensive infrastructure for research, clinical care, and training within the VA system. It directs the VA Secretary to identify medical facilities with the capacity to partner with accredited medical schools, psychiatric training programs, and social work departments. These partnerships would support the development of clinical programs and ongoing research on therapies that, for decades, were relegated to the fringes of medicine.
Significantly, the bill includes chronic pain as one of the covered conditions, alongside PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, and Parkinson’s disease. This is a meaningful expansion—it signals an understanding that the scope of suffering among veterans goes beyond trauma alone and into long-term, often invisible, physical pain that’s been poorly addressed by conventional pharmaceuticals.
Therapies explicitly named in the bill include MDMA (commonly associated with PTSD research at MAPS & LYKOS), psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT, ibogaine, and ketamine. Other treatments may be considered at the discretion of the VA Secretary, opening the door for future developments as research progresses.
Crucially, these centers would also create national repositories of treatment data, facilitating broader knowledge sharing and transparency. Oversight would include annual reports to Congress, and advisory panels made up of researchers, veterans, and medical professionals—adding credibility and accountability to what could otherwise be a politically risky endeavor.
A Broad Base of Support
This bill isn’t just the product of a few voices. In addition to Correa and Bergman, the legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). It has also been endorsed by major veteran service organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Veteran advocate Amy Rising, who has long championed cannabis and psychedelic therapies for veterans, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the bill:
Rising’s personal story—transitioning from prescription opioids to alternative therapies—underscores why this bill resonates so deeply with many who have experienced the limits of the current system. It also reflects the growing call for more holistic, person-centered approaches in mental health care.
A Watershed Moment
Melissa Lavasani, CEO of the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition (PMC), emphasized the evolution of the conversation around psychedelic medicine:
Lavasani also pointed out the more significant implications:
“This is more than a policy proposal—it’s a blueprint for a new era of mental health care in the United States.”
The bill’s structure is notable for its emphasis on clinical rigor and cross-institutional collaboration. Each center would be peer-reviewed for scientific merit and supported by advisory panels of medical experts and veterans. The VA must report regularly on outcomes, making the initiative actionable and accountable.
Why This Matters
It’s no secret that VA suicide and mental health statistics remain deeply troubling. Despite decades of efforts and billions in spending, suicide rates among veterans have remained stubbornly high—averaging more than 6,000 deaths per year between 2001 and 2022. Many veterans report dissatisfaction with current treatments, particularly the overreliance on pharmaceuticals that often fail to address root causes.
The demand for more effective, lasting interventions has only grown louder. With the FDA already signaling support for MDMA-assisted therapy in the treatment of PTSD and a surge of academic and clinical research into psychedelics, this bill represents a timely opportunity to bring those advances into the federal system.
Some veterans have turned to psychedelic therapies abroad, seeking relief in places like Peru, Jamaica, and Mexico through organizations such as Heroic Hearts. This bill could allow that same healing work to happen legally, safely, and close to home—potentially transforming access for thousands who might otherwise be left behind.
Tim Jensen of the Grunt Style Foundation put it succinctly in Task & Purpose:
For many, that access could be life-changing.
Moving the Needle
What makes this bill particularly notable is its bipartisanship—something increasingly rare in today’s political climate. Veterans’ health has long been one of the few areas where both parties are willing to come together, and this legislation is a prime example of that possibility.
Even more encouraging is that this isn’t a one-off initiative. The VA recently announced its first federally funded psychedelic study since the 1960s. Meanwhile, the FDA has continued to approve expanded access and breakthrough therapy designations for substances like MDMA and psilocybin.
This bill ties all those threads together into something scalable, sustainable, and grounded in oversight. If successful, it could set a precedent for the VA and how we treat mental health across the U.S.
What Comes Next
Whether this bill becomes law will depend on sustained momentum and continued bipartisan support. But the mere fact that such legislation exists—and is attracting broad backing—is a sign of how far the conversation has come.
Once considered too fringe for serious political consideration, psychedelic-assisted therapies are now being positioned as credible tools in one of the most conservative corners of American healthcare: the VA. And perhaps most importantly, this is happening because veterans themselves have demanded better options.
This moment isn’t just about access. It’s about acknowledging the urgency of the crisis and the validity of experiences that, for too long, were dismissed. It’s a turning point for policy and how we value the lives and well-being of those who have served.
As the field of psychedelic medicine evolves, legislation like the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act sets a precedent for evidence-based innovation that meets suffering with science—and finally begins to catch up to the need.
Learn more
Psychedelic Medicine Coalition
Task & Purpose – New bill could create VA centers to treat vets with psychedelic therapies
Behind the Bill: Inside a Bipartisan Effort to Bring Psychedelic Therapy to Veterans
Disclosure: The author is a board member of the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, an advocacy group that has supported the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act.
