Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Psilocybin Study Workgroup

The Connecticut legislature has charged DMHAS with studying whether the use of psilocybin by a person under the direction of a health care provider may be beneficial to the person's physical or mental wellbeing. DMHAS was directed to submit a report with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2022. The workgroup is comprised of legislators, state agency personnel, researchers, and other interested stakeholders.

Psilocybin Study Legislation - Public Act 21-26

Sec. 9. (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall convene, within available appropriations, a working group, which shall include members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, to study the health benefits of psilocybin. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, an examination of whether the use of psilocybin by a person under the direction of a health care provider may be beneficial to the person's physical or mental wellbeing. As used in this subsection, "psilocybin" means the chemical compound obtained from certain types of hallucinogenic mushrooms that grow naturally in regions of Europe, South America, Mexico and the United States.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2022, the working group shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, in accordance with the provisions of section 11- 4a of the general statutes. The working group shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2022, whichever is later. Sec. 10. Section 19a-504c of the general statutes is amended by adding

Membership

  • Dr. Charles Dike, Co-Chair, DMHAS Medical Director
  • James Siemianowski, Co-Chair, DMHAS Staff
  • Mary Kate Mason, Legislative Liaison, DMHAS
  • Roderick Marriott, Drug Control Director, Department of Consumer Protection
  • Dr. Richard Kamin, Medical Director, Office of Emergency Medical Services, Department of Public Health (DPH)
  • Jill Kennedy, Legislative Liaison, DPH
  • Dr. Christopher Pittenger, Mears & Jameson, Professor of Psychiatry, and Professor in the Yale Child Study Center, Deputy Chair for Translational Research, Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Yale OCD Research Clinic, and Yale Program for Psychedelic Science 
  • Dr. Lynnette Averill, Clinical Research Psychologist, Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Neuropsychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Assistant Professor Adjunct of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine
  • Dr. J. Craig Allen, Medical Director, Rushford and Chief of Psychiatry, Midstate Medical Center
  • Senator Heather Somers, 18th District 
  • Senator Tony Hwang, 28th District
  • Senator Gary Winfield, 10th District
  • Representative Michelle Cook, 65th District
  • Representative Kathy Kennedy, 119th District
  • Representative Phil Young, 120th District
  • Representative Kevin Ryan, 139th District
  • Jesse MacLachlan, Former Legislator and Connecticut Stakeholder

Meetings and Materials