By Jasmine Owen, Legislative Coordinator, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS)

As 2026 gets underway, the support for psychedelic-assisted therapy policy continues to grow nationwide. VETS is actively tracking legislative progress in 32 states this year, and we are directly engaged in advocacy efforts in 28 of them—working alongside lawmakers, researchers, clinicians, and, most importantly, veterans whose experiences are driving this conversation forward.

In this Q1 update, I’ll share where we’re seeing the most meaningful movement, highlight key milestones from the first months of the year, and outline how we plan to sustain this momentum through the rest of the legislative cycle. For veterans living with PTSD, TBI, and related conditions, progress cannot come soon enough—and ensuring their voices remain at the center of this work continues to guide everything we do.

Veterans First Policy: The Urgency Behind Our Work

Every day, we lose at least 17 veterans to suicide, with some studies suggesting the number could be as high as 44. Behind those numbers are real people—mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends—many of whom have exhausted the treatments currently available to them. For too many veterans living with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and related conditions, the status quo simply isn’t enough.

That reality is what drives VETS’ legislative work across the country. Our focus is advancing policies that expand responsible research and create pathways for safe, clinically supervised psychedelic-assisted therapies. From supporting state-led research initiatives to helping policymakers build thoughtful frameworks for future treatment access, our guiding principle remains the same: policy should follow the science—and veterans should not have to wait for the care they need.

Q1 Legislative Highlights: Legislative Movement

Across the country, VETS supported and helped advance a surge of policy efforts prioritizing veteran mental health.

Georgia: Building on a Budgetary Foundation

In 2025, Georgia allocated $1 million to expand psychedelic research in their state. In 2026, VETS returned to Georgia with our collaborators Reason for Hope and the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition to champion HB 1296 , a clinical research pilot program which passed the Georgia House unanimously. Our HB 1296 Fly In on March 9th brought together grant recipients, allies, and policy makers for a day of meetings with members of the Georgia General Assembly and a reception with the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. Those efforts led to tangible progress and real momentum in the Georgia Senate. The bill passed the House unanimously.

Hawaii: Second Chances, Stronger Outcomes

VETS returned to Hawaii this year to advance legislation that puts veteran mental health front and center. Our continued work with the Clarity Project has led to significant progress for SB 3199 , landmark legislation that will inform and prepare the state for future recommendations and action. SB 3199 passed the Senate and House unanimously and is in conference committee with more time on the clock.

Oklahoma: Breaking New Ground for Ibogaine Research

VETS worked closely with the Casey Skudin 343 Fund to engage and educate lawmakers on HB 3834 , the state’s first ibogaine research initiative. By connecting legislators to a growing network of states pursuing consortium-based psychedelic research, we helped contextualize Oklahoma’s efforts within a national movement. That work paid off: the bill passed the House and is now advancing in the Senate, marking a historic step for veteran-focused psychedelic research in the state.

Alaska: Veterans Prioritized in Statewide Recommendations

The Alaska Task Force for the Regulation of Psychedelic Medicines final report included a recommendation to prioritize veterans through targeted outreach and clinical opportunities— informed by VETS testimony to the task force. This recommendation reflects growing recognition that veterans should play a central role in the future of mental health research and treatment access and is a meaningful step toward ensuring those who have served our country are among the first to benefit from emerging therapies.

Utah: Advancing State‑Led PTSD Research

In Utah, VETS played an active role in support of HB 390 , bipartisan legislation that would authorize state‑led clinical research into psychedelic‑assisted therapy for veterans with treatment‑resistant PTSD. The bill passed the House and Senate and was signed by Governor Spencer Cox on March 19.

Virginia & Mississippi: Rescheduling Gains Ground

In Virginia, VETS supported SB 379 /HB 1347 . Our grant recipients provided virtual testimony, sharing firsthand experiences and the potential impact of these therapies. Their voices helped lawmakers better understand the need for evidence-based policy — both bills have passed and are sitting on the Governor’s desk. In Mississippi, similar letters of support for SB 2056 helped lawmakers understand the potential impact on veteran mental health. The bill passed both the House and Senate and was approved by the Governor—marking a major step forward for evidence-based veteran care in the state.

Policy Context: What This Moment Means

The progress we’re seeing across the country isn’t happening in isolation—it reflects a broader national shift. From Georgia’s investment in clinical research infrastructure, to Hawaii’s forward-looking policy planning, to Oklahoma and Utah advancing research pathways, and Alaska elevating veterans in statewide recommendations, policymakers are increasingly recognizing the role psychedelic-assisted therapies may play in addressing the veteran mental health crisis. What once felt like a niche policy discussion is now unfolding in statehouses nationwide.

In 2026 alone, VETS is tracking psychedelic-assisted therapy legislation in 30+ states and is directly engaged in more than 24, reflecting the growing urgency among lawmakers to explore new, evidence-based solutions for conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and substance use disorders that disproportionately impact veterans.

At the same time, important challenges remain:

  • Access: Even as research pathways expand, many veterans remain excluded from clinical trials due to their co-occurring conditions, meaning many still lack safe, legal, and affordable options for treatment.
  • Regulatory Barriers: Federal scheduling and outdated regulatory frameworks continue to slow clinical research and innovation in certain states.
  • Research Capacity: States are increasingly stepping up to fund and facilitate studies, but more resources are needed to evaluate additional compounds, conditions, and veteran-specific treatment models.

The trajectory is clear: momentum is building across the country. But the work is far from finished. Ensuring that veterans can safely access the most promising therapies emerging from today’s research will require sustained collaboration between lawmakers, researchers, clinicians, and the veteran community.

Q2 Priorities: Sustaining the Movement

As we move into Q2, the focus shifts from early progress to continued execution. Many of the bills we supported in the first quarter are still advancing through legislative processes, and new opportunities are emerging as additional states explore research frameworks, task forces, and pilot programs.

Our priorities for the next quarter include:

  • Advancing Key Legislation: Continue supporting bills currently moving through legislatures in states like Georgia, Oklahoma, and Hawaii while monitoring additional emerging measures.
  • Supporting Implementation Pathways: Work with policymakers and partners in states like Utah to ensure newly passed legislation translates into meaningful research opportunities for veterans.
  • Expanding State Coalitions: Strengthen partnerships with veteran advocates, researchers, clinicians, and in-state and national allies.
  • Elevating Veteran Voices: Continue bringing VETS grant recipients to statehouses to share their lived experiences that underscore the urgency of advancing research and treatment options.

Building the Future Veterans Deserve

The progress we’ve seen in the first months of 2026 demonstrates that this movement is gaining real traction. Lawmakers across the country are taking seriously the need to explore new solutions to the veteran mental health crisis, increasingly turning to research and policy innovation to do it.

But momentum only matters if we continue to build on it.

Every bill introduced, every coalition formed, and every veteran story shared helps move the conversation forward. Together, we’re helping ensure that the next generation of mental health treatments is developed responsibly, studied rigorously, and made accessible to the veterans who need them most.

We are never out of the fight.

And with each step forward, we move closer to a future where healing is possible, and no veteran is left behind.