Oregon's Emerging Psilocybin Services Workforce: A Survey of the First Legal Psilocybin Facilitators and Their Training Programs
Jason B Luoma, Kim Hoffman, Adie Wilson-Poe, Ximena A. Levander, Alissa Bazinet, Ryan Cook, Dennis McCarty, Kellie Pertl, Sarann Bielavitz, Devin Gregoire, Cameron Wolf, Dan Des Jarlais, Harland V. Harrison, Christopher S. Stauffer, Philip Korthuis
March 11, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/4jm2n_v1 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractOregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce is relatively diverse, with many holding existing healthcare licenses, though training expenses pose a moderate-to-severe financial strain for most. The mean tuition across 16 active training programs was $9,359, half offered diversity scholarships, and the mean planned session price was $1,388. Facilitators most commonly specialized in trauma, mental disorders, consciousness exploration, and spirituality, and most were satisfied with training while requesting ongoing opportunities. These findings inform future policy and program development for a diverse and effective workforce.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 106 |
| Population | Psilocybin facilitators who had completed or were enrolled in Oregon Health Authority-approved training programs |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Facilitator Training meteorology Mental health Session web analytics |
| Key finding | Oregon's emerging psilocybin facilitator workforce is relatively diverse and many hold healthcare licenses, but training expenses are a financial strain for most. |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: New legal frameworks for supervised psychedelic services are emerging, with Oregon and Colorado implementing programs to train and license psilocybin facilitators. This study describes Oregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce and assesses state-approved training programs. METHODS: The Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN) reviewed Oregon Health Authority-approved training programs and surveyed facilitators who had completed or were enrolled in these programs between July and November 2023. Data collection included a review of public listings, contact with training programs, and facilitator survey. RESULTS: In the 16 active training programs, the mean tuition was $9,359 and half offered diversity scholarships. Survey respondents (n=106) were relatively diverse; many had an existing healthcare license. The majority reported that training expenses were a moderate-to-severe financial strain. Most were satisfied with training. The mean planned price for a session was $1,388 and the most common areas of specialization were trauma, mental disorders, consciousness exploration, and spirituality. Facilitators requested ongoing training opportunities. CONCLUSION: Oregon's emerging psilocybin facilitator workforce and training programs are in early development These findings are crucial for informing future policy and training program development to support a diverse and effective workforce.