Education and training requirements

Regulators outlined subjects they would like to see included in facilitator education and training.

They include best practices related to recognizing bias, keeping up to date on the latest research in the field, and education on harm reduction and conflict deescalation; training on the state’s code of ethics; guidance on boundaries and the appropriate use of physical touch during facilitation; education and intervention strategies when responding to patients’ physical or mental health concerns; education about possible drug interactions; an introduction to trauma-informed care and suicide risks; and information about culturally responsive care.

Training requirements also outline what should be covered during preparation, administration and integration sessions; and specific considerations for group therapy. Regulators also hope education will cover self-care for facilitators, including knowing when a professional “is not in a space to facilitate and what to do about it.”

It’s important to note that DORA’S authority extends only to making regulations for occupational roles within psychedelic therapy. Another agency, the Colorado Department of Revenue, is tasked with writing rules concerning therapy centers, psilocybin mushroom cultivation and manufacturing, first responder training and public education strategies, among other topics.

The state revenue department begins its own rulemaking process this month, but individual municipalities also may enact additional local laws.

Denver, for instance, is now accepting applications for those who want to participate in a working group to discuss “if the city should develop local regulations for natural medicine, such as psilocybin mushrooms, to protect public safety,” according to a statement. The deadline to apply is March 13.