COLORADO, USA — For the first time, the people responsible for creating rules that will regulate the psychedelic therapy industry in Colorado discussed potential requirements for guides and trainers.
On Friday, the Natural Medicine Advisory Board, which is made up of governor-appointed medical professionals and counselors, discussed proposed rules that outline the hours of training and certification requirements for psychedelic therapy guides.
Through an open records request, 9NEWS obtained a copy of the draft rules, which outline plans for four types of licenses for psychedelic guides, which are commonly referred to as “facilitators” within the draft rules.
The rules are expected to change with discussion and public input over the next year.
The four proposed licenses would be for students, a regular facilitator, a clinical facilitator and a trainer. Each type of license would require different types of training.
For a regular facilitator, the proposed rules include dozens of hours of coursework at a training facility that would certify someone in areas like mental health, safety, trauma-informed care, Indigenous considerations and even self-care.
Licensees would all have to be over the age of 21 and be certified in basic life support.
The proposed rules also list out what type of patients facilitators should not serve, including people with a history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Some of the prohibited conditions could be exempted with the approval of a medical professional.
The rules will be open for public comment throughout the year and are expected to be finalized toward the end of 2024.
Joseph Harrison, the director of Psychedelic Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, said on Friday that the rule-making process is significant because Colorado is only one of two states to legalize psychedelics.
“Those involved in forming these regulations are being very thoughtful about it. And that's good, because it's a tricky space to work in. And other states are going to be looking to Colorado and Oregon to see not only what they did right, but what didn't go so well,” Harrison said in an interview with 9NEWS.
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