VA Official Says Federal Government Must ‘Gear Up’ For Expanding Psychedelic Medicine For Veterans
Rachel Yehuda of the Department of Veterans Affairs Highlights the Need for Preparedness as Psychedelic Therapies Gain Momentum
A top U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official says the federal government must “gear up” to provide psychedelic medicines to veterans and ensure that qualified therapists are trained to deliver these breakthrough treatments safely.
Rachel Yehuda, director of mental health at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, discussed the therapeutic potential of substances like psilocybin and MDMA during an interview on CBS Mornings. Yehuda emphasized that while research into psychedelics is accelerating, the nation must prepare to administer these treatments responsibly and ethically.
“There’s still a lot more research that needs to be done,” Yehuda said. “We have to gear up in a way that makes it safe to be able to provide these therapies. We have to make sure therapists know how to use these medications—and also who should and shouldn’t be treated with them.”
Psychedelics as a New Frontier in Mental Health Treatment
Yehuda, who also serves as director of Mount Sinai’s Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing, explained that psychedelics represent a fundamentally different approach to mental health treatment compared to traditional pharmaceutical therapies.
Current psychiatric medications, she said, often only suppress symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression. Psychedelics, however, aim to address the root causes of these conditions by helping patients confront buried emotions and memories in a guided, therapeutic setting.
“This is an approach where you take a medication that puts you in an altered state of consciousness,” Yehuda said. “If you are prepared for it in the right way, and you do it in the right setting with the right facilitator, different kinds of material will surface—emotions, thoughts, memories—a lot of things that usually you spend a lot of time keeping down.”
She added that this process allows patients to access the core of their trauma, offering opportunities for profound psychological healing that traditional medications rarely achieve.
The Importance of Supervised Psychedelic Therapy
Yehuda was clear that psychedelics should not be approached casually or without clinical supervision.
“This is a way of taking a medicine once or twice or three times at most,” she said, describing sessions that may last six to eight hours and involve close monitoring by trained therapists. “Stuff comes up that you talk about, and hopefully you won’t have to keep taking medications once you get at the root of the problem.”
However, she warned that unregulated or unsupervised psychedelic use carries risks—not necessarily because of the drugs themselves, but because of the emotional intensity they can unleash.
“The drugs themselves are not very dangerous,” she explained. “But the material that can surface can be overwhelming. You want to make sure you take the drug with a professional who can help you make meaning out of the experience.”
She emphasized that psychedelic therapy must be carefully guided and structured, saying, “We’re not talking about handing somebody a psychedelic and saying, ‘Let me know how it goes.’ We’re talking about a supervised experience.”
VA’s Growing Role in Psychedelic Research
Yehuda and other VA officials have become increasingly vocal about the potential of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance use disorders among veterans.
In December, the VA announced $1.5 million in funding for a study examining MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD and alcohol use disorder. The department has also partnered with leading research institutions to expand investigations into psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds.
These efforts reflect a broader shift in federal attitudes toward psychedelics, driven by growing evidence of their efficacy in clinical trials and by advocacy from both veterans’ groups and bipartisan lawmakers.
Bipartisan Support in Congress and the Trump Administration
Momentum for psychedelic research has reached both sides of the political spectrum. Earlier this year, Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—co-chairs of the Congressional Psychedelic Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus—introduced legislation to provide $30 million annually for the creation of “centers for excellence” at VA facilities dedicated to psychedelic therapies.
These centers would allow veterans to receive supervised treatment with substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine while ensuring robust safety and research oversight.
Additionally, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment encouraging VA to support psychedelic research for medical conditions common among veterans, such as PTSD, depression, and chronic pain.
High-Level Endorsements and Cultural Shift
The call for readiness comes amid increasing public and political support for psychedelics.
HHS Secretary Kennedy recently declared that his agency is “absolutely committed” to advancing psychedelic therapy research, aiming to provide legal access within 12 months for veterans suffering from trauma-related conditions.
VA Secretary Doug Collins echoed that commitment, saying he was “open” to allowing federal vouchers for veterans seeking psychedelic-assisted therapy outside VA facilities. He called his meeting with Kennedy about the subject “eye-opening” and pledged to prioritize psychedelic research “even if it takes policy changes.”
Collins also visited a psychedelic research center and raised the topic during a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, signaling that the issue has reached the highest levels of government.
Prominent Conservatives Join the Conversation
The potential of psychedelics has even gained traction among prominent conservative figures. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich praised the therapeutic promise of ibogaine, citing a Stanford University study showing benefits for veterans with PTSD, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury.
Similarly, Robert O’Neill, the Navy SEAL veteran known for participating in the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden, shared on Fox News that psychedelic therapy helped him process military trauma, saying “it works” and should be made accessible to other veterans.
These endorsements, alongside scientific validation, have helped shift public perception, moving psychedelics from taboo to potential medical innovation.
Research, Regulation, and Responsibility
While the momentum for psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to build, Yehuda cautioned that responsible infrastructure must accompany legalization and expanded access.
“This is a promising time,” she said. “But we must make sure that therapists are trained, patients are screened appropriately, and treatments are provided in safe, supportive environments.”
Her message mirrors a broader consensus among mental health experts: psychedelic medicine offers hope, but preparation and professionalism are key to ensuring that hope translates into healing.
As the VA, Congress, and federal agencies accelerate efforts to study and implement psychedelic therapies, Yehuda’s warning serves as both a call for action and a reminder of caution to build the systems, training, and oversight necessary to safely deliver this transformative form of treatment to America’s veterans.
