Can states afford psilocybin therapy?
There’s a central question hanging over the entire psychedelic field right now, one that nearly everyone is asking, and few have offered pragmatic answers to:
Can we actually make state based psilocybin therapy affordable?
Now the field is confronting its biggest challenge to date, and its biggest opportunity.
Without deliberate policy solutions, state-based programs risk remaining narrow, unaffordable, and politically fragile. But if we can solve for affordability, the implications extend far beyond psychedelics. It opens the door to new models of public investment in behavioral health — models that prioritize outcomes, access, and long-term sustainability.
In a recent interview with Tricycle Day, I outline:
What the first wave of state programs has definitively proven
Why affordability is now the make-or-break issue for state based programs
How state-funded pilot programs offer a practical path forward
In 2026, the Center for Psychedelic Policy will partner with states that are well positioned to advance affordability-focused legislation. If you’re interested in exploring how to make psilocybin therapy affordable in your state, I’d love to hear from you.
More soon, and thank you for being part of this work.
With gratitude,
Sam Chapman
Executive Director