Saturday, April 18, 2026
April 18, 2026
Baltimore, MD — Today BrainFutures welcomed President Trump’s executive order, “Accelerating Medical Treatment for Serious Mental Illness,” which directs federal support for psychedelic research and removes unnecessary barriers to research and compassionate use. It also calls on the FDA to use expedited approval pipelines for psychedelics when clinical trials demonstrate safety and efficacy. BrainFutures called it a pivotal moment in the effort to transform how the United States addresses addiction, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and the behavioral health crisis facing millions of Americans, including our Veterans.
“This executive order is a powerful signal that the highest levels of our government recognize what researchers, clinicians, and patients have been saying for years: we cannot afford to ignore promising therapies just because they challenge old assumptions,” said Sarah Norman, Executive Director of BrainFutures.” BrainFutures and our partners stand ready to support this Administration with resources and clear plans of action.”
Psychedelics have shown promise in late-stage clinical trials for a wide range of indications, including treatment-resistant depression, major depression, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder. Unlike most current treatments, they do not need to be taken daily; one or two doses are often effective for months or even years among clinical trial participants.
BrainFutures calls on the Administration and Congress to translate this executive order into concrete action across five urgent priorities:
BrainFutures welcomes the announcement of $50 million in federal research dollars through ARPA-H, but the need for research investment is significant. BrainFutures urges Congress and the Administration to direct meaningful new funding to the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Health Administration for rigorous clinical trials of psychedelic therapies. State investments — including Texas’s historic $50 million ibogaine research initiative — have shown what bold action looks like. We applaud the federal government for beginning to match that ambition.
Psychedelics are currently listed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, a classification that severely hampers scientific research efforts. Congress already acted to streamline Schedule I research when it passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, signed into law in July 2025. But the Drug Enforcement Administration has missed the congressionally mandated deadline to issue implementing rules. BrainFutures calls for immediate implementation of these long-overdue reforms so that research can scale quickly to meet this moment.
Approving treatments without the trained clinicians to deliver them safely and effectively will not serve patients. Congress and the Administration must invest in the behavioral health workforce to ensure that therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, and support staff have the training and resources to provide psychedelic therapy at scale. BrainFutures is helping to strengthen the behavioral health workforce in both the public and private sector by developing interdisciplinary core competencies to advance high-quality, consistent and affordable training.
Even the most promising treatments will not help patients who cannot afford them. BrainFutures urges CMS and private payers to begin developing reimbursement frameworks now — so that when approvals come, access is not delayed by payment barriers. Payers should not wait for FDA decisions to begin building the coverage architecture these therapies will require.
The United States has an opportunity to lead the world in safe, evidence-based psychedelic medicine. BrainFutures applauds the Administration’s efforts to expand coordination across the government and with the private public sector. Coordination must address workforce development, effective care models, reimbursement and coverage in addition to data-sharing.
“Our Veterans are dying by suicide far more often than our troops die in battle,” Sarah Norman continued. “This Executive Order clearly indicates that psychedelics deserve federal support. And we know from experience this historic moment requires action and follow-through: from government, researchers, clinicians, and the entire mental health ecosystem. Psychedelics are coming; we must be ready.”
BrainFutures stands ready to work with the Administration, Congress, VA, HHS, clinicians, and the research community to drive lasting, transformative change in the lives of patients living with brain health conditions.
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BrainFutures accelerates adoption of innovative, evidence-based interventions that improve brain health and well-being. Over the past ten years, we have fought for the development of a more holistic, innovative, and effective approach to well-being by advancing novel therapeutics, psychedelic medicine, youth executive function, mental health parity, and other promising practices.
Media Contact:
Sarah Norman
(443) 449-1403
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