Impact comment

It raises costs and there for prices across the board which decreases access to clients and jeopardizes the livelihoods of every licensee.

People can barely afford this service now. This will cripple my business and cripple service centers. Its almost impossible already to find a location to serve lawfully at due to limited number of service centers and an extremely competitive market where even a $100 difference in price can sway a client. This will destroy this emerging market and drive us underground again.

The increase in licensing fees will most likely price me out of continuing this work while it is just getting started. This will hamstring the entire industry and ensure that only those financially capable of burdening the economic hardship will be able to continue facilitating for clients. I have worked with clients from around the world and they have benefited from their experience. Please don’t shut this door. I have invested over 15k only in education for this career path.

Program already too expensive

I think it would prohibit many facilitators from renewing. Most that I've talked to stated that they would not be able to afford to keep practicing if that were the case. I would probably have to raise my rates as well to cover the extra costs.

Psilocybin facilitators currently pay more than any licensed profession to maintain their licenses. Doubling these fees would make an already exorbitant fee absurdly unaffordable.

I would likely no longer be able to serve clients and I would likely find similar work outside of the legal framework.

I would not be able to remain. It is too expensive. It just makes no sense at all. I was hoping the fees would go down., not up as they are unreasonable fees. There is no other license fees that are even near that expensive including people who make a lot of money like doctors and lawyers.

I travel in from out of state for this work with my clients because I believe in it so much. I serve a very niche population, so many of them really want to do this work with me due to their existing relationship and my expertise in their challenges. The existing $2,000 fee is already a stretch for me to make this work financially. An increase, especially of that amount, would simply make this unreasonable. I will find another way to carry on this special work that doesn't require me raising the costs for my clients.

It would push me out of facilitating. I'm currenlty getting my MSW as a back up plan.

I’m on a limited income at age 79. I would seriously consider stopping my psilocybin practice.

The price I have to charge is already above what most people can pay. And business has slowed considerably since year one. So, I would be working for free for at least 1/3 of the year just to pay licensing fees. No thank you.

I am disabled and live just across the state line in WA but do not qualify for a reduced fee and further feel completely unsupported by the OHA and lack of ADA access. There is still an ADA lawsuit to allow in home services and I fully support it.

I provide largely subsidized facilitation services to clients with complex challenges and low economic resources and will definitely not be able to renew with the proposed increases. Following the exorbitant cost of the training and yearly renewal fees this is ridiculous.

I just recently got my license but I am very interested in working with younger, lower income people and raising the facilitator fee would limit the number of clients I can take on the lower end of my fee scale. It would force me to lean into other work, stretching myself thinner to do this work that requires your full self and soul. If we are truly to make this an equitable system, we must find funds from somewhere other than clients and facilitators.

The costs associated with Psilocybin are already high, making access limited to all. Well, maybe the wealthy have access as is the norm for so much of the wellness world. Increased fees with add more barriers as there will be fewer facilities and facilitators. Increased fees will make it so I am unable to participate in the program going forward. It is nearly impossible to be part of the program now with the current fee structure. In my opinion, increasing the fees will lead to the end of the program as a whole.

It would increase inaccessibility to those who need it the most–under served populations. It would also decrease the number of minority facilitators due to unaffordability.

Considering I have already had difficulty finding service centers to work from in southern Oregon and to get clients at all since being licensed, I am having a lot of doubts about this being a viable career option. I am disappointed that more forethought didn’t go into the development of this field to begin with. Way too many facilitators have been licensed within a scarce market. The OHA was giving away educational credentials to schools, making the trainings the biggest money maker in the whole industry. That seems very unethical to trainees that have forked thousands of dollars to get licensed only to get hit with ridiculously high licensing fees compared to other professional licenses, and to only have a limited amount of places to facilitate from due to the strict guidelines. If anything it should be adjusted so people can have a private practice from home, so you are not also having to keep up with the facility costs. Bad planning all around.

Please note the demand for the services is not as much as anticipated cost as a huge barrier and service centers keep closing increasing facilitators fee is just going to speed that up and cause more people to

Go underground

It would make psilocybin therapy even less accessible to the public. Fees are already so high which is partly why so many people cannot afford this effective treatment.

This work is currently not sustainable as my sole income, and a $4,000 fee would price me out of Oregon’s regulated psilocybin system. I cannot absorb this overhead, and passing the cost along to clients would make sessions even more unaccessible for everyday people. If this fee is implemented, I will have no choice but to let my license lapse.

The license fees are already (at $2,000/annually) an immensely expensive fee. This standard fee has necessitated that my service fees are high, obviously making my service only available to those with adequate income. Should the fees increase anything above this means I would have to double my service fees, as I know that service centers and growers have ALREADY doubled their fees – in an attempt to remain open. This overall doubling fees puts one psilocybin journey at $6,000-8,000, not including any travel and accommodations fees for clients. There is no sustainable way to make this crucial service accessible to those who need it most if license fees increase any amount.

I understand that the main reason for the proposed increase is the lack of federal funding by the Trump administration and that many OHA agencies face challenges. With OPS being fairly new and now producing the first ever real-world study data on safety and efficacy of psilocybin services, any change that puts this in jeopardy is reckless after everything Oregon has worked so hard to implement. We are the lead in the US, let's keep it this way. Let's find other ways to fund OPS, such that even lowering license fees would happen, which would lower overall fees to clients, ultimately expanding access. People need this service and they need it now.

Please pause an official decision on this, brainstorm other ways forward that reduce license fees while expanding access. Work WITH us, not against us.

Thank you.

Overall the accessibility and social equity plan is a joke. I’m serving wealthy clients from out of state because I have a service center I work out of that has got marketing down. I was at the edge of survival for years as a facilitator. This fee increase seems remarkably short sighted and cares once more to creating a chasm between who can afford to engage in this powerful sacred work even as a practitioner.

I am already operating on a tight budget. The increased fees would exceed my budget and I would not renew my license.

I am unclear as to why we are asked every year to write up a Social Equity Plan if you are considering raising these rates. How socially equitable is this, really, if only those with the means can afford to take part in this program? I already see people at low rates (sometimes I make less than $500 per client) and I will not be able to continue doing this if the fees double. Raising the rates will most likely result in more facilitators work underground. Is this where you would like for this to head?

Doubling annual facilitator fees feels punitive, especially when these fees are already dramatically higher than those charged to many other licensed professionals. It creates an unnecessary barrier to remaining in the profession, particularly for independent facilitators and those serving lower-income clients. Those costs inevitably get passed on to clients, further increasing the already significant cost of accessing psilocybin services and excluding many of the people who could benefit most. At a time when the field is still developing, increasing fees this dramatically risks making both providing and accessing these services less sustainable.

Doubling the facilitation fee will make it nearly impossible for me to continue this important work. Even if I were to pay the increased fee, it means I would have to pass on the cost, resulting in higher fees for my clients. It’s already difficult for many clients to pay my fees, which actually fall in the mid to lower end of what’s considered a standard rate for facilitation services. The proposed increase in fees will cripple the system as a whole, and I do believe, unfortunately and heartbreakingly, end the legal program in Oregon.

It would have these services be even more inaccessible than what they are now to many people. I would not be able to offer as many reduced rates. I would need to increase my prices and it would cause me financial hardship. I am a single parent with multiple jobs. I poured many of my resources into training, CEU's , studies and committments to preping myself to work with clients that are wanting to ensure that their first or ongoing relationship with psilocybin is provieded in a way that feels safe and fitting for them.

It is way over what I consider affordable or reasonable. I have been working on a grant proposal testing microdosing patterns, so would need my license, but when the study is over I would most likely drop my license. The fee would be catastrophic to the industry, and seems very shortsighted. My nursing licenses cost a few hundred dollars. That is reasonable. The OHA fee is not. It is not equitable either. It would prevent those who are lower on the economic scale to participate.

I wouldn’t renew.

I will offer fewer discounts and consider completely eliminating pro bono sessions. I am also transitioning more of my work time towards different employment opportunities as offering psilocybin services alone is becoming financially prohibitive.

I am not as much concerned about the immediate extra $2K in annual operating expenses as I am the downstream effects. I wonder if OHA can explain or has thought about 'what comes next' in the event they are still short on funding a year from now. It seems like, whether they raise the fees or don't, they will be short either way. So – what happens then? Does the program get shut down due to lack of funding at the state level? Is it legal for them to do so? I'm curious about the longer term viability of this program more so than an extra 2K/yr. I can plan for that by setting aside extra money month to month. But due to mismanagement and grossly inaccurate financial projections at the state level, this program feels unsustainable. Not because it doesn't work but because the state of oregon is not managing it competently.

The cost ofOregon psilocybin experiences have already priced out a huge number of people who need them most. This fee increases will kill the program. I cannot imagine what the board is thinking?!

I simply cannot imagine paying $4000 a year. My psychotherapy license — which is a medical license — is $200 a year. If I were to pay that much, I could only do so by taking on credit card debt, and my psilocybin facilitation work would serve to pay off that debt and interest.

I work very hard to keep costs low for my clients. After taxes, I make only about $280 per client (and that’s clients who don’t receive a discount, which I give for certain clients as a part of my SEP). I would have to see 14+ clients just to make the $4k back, and that’s not including expenses. Some months I only have 2 clients (or fewer), meaning I would need to work at least 7 months just to pay my licensing fee. How are facilitators who are trying so hard to give access to low income clients supposed to work within this new system?? How are we supposed to afford to live?? This fee increase is asinine, especially given the numbers of expected attrition. Does the program not think they should abide by a SEP just like it makes its licensees do?

I became a legal and licensed psilocybin facilitator, because psilocybin mushrooms gave me a new lease on life. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis when I was 36. By the time I turned 40 I was walking with a cane, I had permanent damage in 3 of my toes, I spent 1.5 years in bed with crippling pain and inflammation in my chest/sternum, and my pointer finger on my right hand was stuck in the pointing position. I was suffering and the chronic pain and inflammation was relentless!! I lost the ability to do everything that I loved. I was depressed and my quality of life was 0%. I can't even count how many times I wished I was dead!!

Then I read an article during the early clinical trials with Veterans using psilocybin mushrooms for PTSD. The article mentioned how they were seeing reduced swelling in the brain scans of soldiers who suffered from Traumatic Brain Injuries. In a desperate state, I turned to mushrooms for healing. I was breaking the law intentionally, because I didn't have a choice, but it was the best decision I ever made!! I went into my first psilocybin experience as a skeptic and I returned a changed man. I addressed a lot of deep rooted issues that I didn't face in my past and I found healing. I put the insights and lessons learned during my journey into action through integration; and I learned that my auto immune disease was triggered from unresolved trauma. Psilocybin mushrooms gave me the opportunity to address those issues, make peace with them, and move forward with my life in a positive direction. As I continued the integration process, I ditched the cane, my inflammation diminished greatly and I gained full use my right hand again. It felt like I lived through a miracle.

I paid $10,000; joined a 10 month program to become a certified psilocybin facilitator. Then I paid $2,000 + Workers permit fee to become a legal and license facilitator in Oregon. I paid all of that money, because I wanted to legally support people during their healing journey, and I have lived the experience. I have worked pro bono and given multiple discounted sessions to clients in need. I've supported veterans and first responders, plus clients working through treatment resistant depression and anxiety, childhood trauma, addiction issues, OCD and more. I've worked with an autistic adult male who found peace and comfort for the first time in his life. He sat still; calm and comfortable in his body. We had meaningful conversation and it was amazing to witness!! I'm am a living example of the healing benefits of psilocybin and everyone deserves to live that gift. Psilocybin heals and our society desperately needs healing.

Plus, the legal psilocybin program will help Oregon's economy in the long run. When a person finds healing from whatever holds them back, they can contribute to society again. They can work, pay taxes, and contribute to the economy. In addition, Oregon's legal psilocybin program brings clients from all over the world. A bonus for local businesses and Oregon's economy.

Finally, I just paid my quarterly taxes on Sept 15th. As a self employed tax payer; who owns a house in Oregon; is married w/o children, I'm paying 47% of my income earned through legal facilitation to taxes. 47%!!!!! An increase in fees will shut me down instantly. The ripple effect of that shut down will have a negative effect on the economy, but more importantly it will have a negative effect on the quality of life for those future clients seeking healing. It will force those future clients to bypass Oregon and go back to illegal sources. History has already proven that the people are willing to break the law to gain access to psilocybin mushrooms. We currently have a system in place that gives them legal access, but raising facilitator fees will kill this program. It will force too many facilitators to give up their license and it'll be the death of Oregon's psilocybin program. What a shameful embarrassment for Oregonians.

I am concerned that Service centers will be forced to close, some are just barely getting by as it is. This will limit access to services throughout the state. I may also need to raise my rates – further limiting access to a sorely needed safe and effective adjunct to mental health treatment in Oregon.

A $4000 licensing fee is unprecedented across licensed professions. No medical license costs more than $2,000, regardless of risk or expertise. The current cost of the facilitator license is already extremely high and makes the cost passed onto clients so high that predominantly middle age, white, highly educated people can access services. This will only get worse. OHA seems to be willing to destroy the entire program through the fee hikes. More people will go underground and offer or receive psilocybin mushrooms in unregulated environments, increasing the risk for harm and the burden on law enforcement and emergency medical system.

The proposed fee increase would push facilitators and service centers out of business. It is absolutely unsustainable for the entire industry in terms of the increase in fees to clients needed to offset the proposed increases. We have evidence-based solutions to myriad health and social problems through psilocybin facilitation, and these come at a small fraction of the cost of traditional treatments. This modality is safe and worksΓÇö don’t stop the progress! Oregon can spend far less through psilocybin facilitation treating depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, and other traumas that are resistant to traditional modalities. Let us do this work in sacred service to individual and collective healing. May it be so.

I am concerned for my colleagues as clients. Raising fees will trickle to clients and will make things less accessible and have significant impact on everyone.

I already feel that $2000/year is too steep a price to pay for a license! I would need to raise my fee to cover the extra cost and I wish I could lower my fees! Psilocybin journeys are getting much more known due to rigorous scientific studies, and more & more people are becoming interested. Oregon already has laid the foundation – don’t raise the prices to operate in this system!!! This work should be subsidized.

I run a full-time, year-round retreat business (Confluence Retreats) so this will not affect me next year, but I do agree that generally this is a poor idea as it is likely to decrease total revenue and generally make services less accessible…. I'd much rather see/support other way for the OHA to reduce costs and/or seek outside funding for the deficite. Dozens of psychedelic-adjacent organizations (for and nonprofit) raise much larger sums of money on a regular basis and given the important of Oregon staying solvent/accessible (even if it is at a loss for a while longer) is very much in the interest of the high net worth people funding the movement. I'd imagine finding $3m per year to keep Oregon's program accessible/alive, if it was possible, would be easily achievable from outside philanthropic sources. I have minimal connections into this work from fundraising about $10m for my last business, all the same contacts that HAF has – so I don't imagine I can be of particular help but I am open to trying.

I provide lower cost services, a generous sliding scale, at least one pro bono session per month, and also raise scholarship funds to help pay for room and medicine. I will have to raise my fees and also stop providing as many low fee spots in my practice to offset costs

Many clients are already struggling to pay a rate that allows us to be fairly compensated for our time while still accounting for expenses such as service center fees, education fees and licensure fees, all of which are projected to increase. I do not foresee many clients being able to have the cost passed on to them, so either we will have fewer clients to support the work or we will have to get paid less to do this work. Both options make it increasingly less likely that I would be able to continue working with psilocybin in a legal capacity in Oregon.

I will not continue to facilitate within the regulated Oregon system if the licensure fees double. The current fees are already exorbitant, are completely out of line with fees for other professional licenses, and severely limit affordability and accessibility for clients. The message the proposed fee increase sends is that the state of Oregon wants the program to fail. The level of anger I feel is… high. I am disgusted.

I think it is ridiculous that they are raising the fees to 4000$ and yet they expect people to support low-income clients. These are competing values and asks. I was at the UCBPS program and many people decided that after certification they would not get licensed anywhere bc of the fees even at 2000/1000 – when typically licensing fees are below 1000$ in different professions. People will continue to work underground. I imagine if raising the income is the goal they could first try to reduce their fees and see how many more people might sign up for licensure which would serve the same goal. I am currently not in the US but I wanted to keep an active license for the time I return but if there is a state that has a Lower fee I will definitely shift to that state. And I know many others who will do the same. 4000$ is ridiculous fee for a license – which eventually has to be rolled into business expenses and client care. So many people need affordable care and I am disappointed to hear the Oregon chose this path ΓǪ I expected different and more from Oregon.

It’s just so disheartening and frustrating. This is already so difficult for many people to access due to cost and this will only make it harder. Plus, the service centers are already struggling and many have closed already. We need more support for facilitators and service centers to be able to make this accessible and equitable for all, not more expenses and challenges.

I would have to raise my fees substantially to accommodate the increase which is the last thing I want to do.

Its already nearly impossible to do this job full time as is. This is a very expensive licence and is a very small field

My rate for a Journey and the package of Prep and Integration sessions that are required to Journey is $1000-$2000. Each package takes 20-25 hours of my time. I bring 20 years of patient-practitioner expertise in holistic healthcare with training in somatic practices and two years as a facilitator in Oregon. I deserve a reasonable rate for my time, care, and expertise. Many of my clients are low income and pay $1000. If the rate is hiked up to $4000, that means that I am seeing 4 clients for free (donating 80-100 hours of my time) just to break even on my license. That’s outrageous. I only see 10-12 clients per year, so far. I hope to see more, but this is not my main profession. Please keep the rates low. My clients cannot afford to pay more. As it is, a facilitated psilocybin journey is out of many people’s budgets (as they have to pay for the service center and medicine which is an additional $550-$800). This medicine should not be elite. And it should not break the facilitator financially to offer it. We have to have a reasonable overhead-to-income balance and anything more than $2000 breaks it. Even $2000 is very high. My holistic health license is under $350/year. Please save this fledgling program by keeping it affordable and accessible. It’s proven to reduce PTSD and improve mental health like nothing else we have. We need it.

am a licensed facilitator living on a fixed income. After receiving no clients during my first licensing year, I paid approximately $2,000 to renew because I remain committed to Oregon’s regulated program. This fall, I am teaching ΓÇ£Psilocybin 101 for Older AdultsΓÇ¥ through OLLI at Southern Oregon University, helping older adults understand safety, preparation, and Oregon’s regulated system. Increasing the facilitator fee to $4,000 would likely force me out and undermine my goal of providing affordable services to older adults and others with limited incomes. Excessive fees will reduce the number of facilitators, limit client access, and weaken Oregon’s regulated program.

I will leave the system. The $2000 fee is already ludicrous and a hardship. My healthcare license costs around $150 every other year. I am one of the most experienced and long term facilitators in this state. It would be a loss for clients and this program.