New Mexico is pioneering psychedelic-assisted therapy by legalizing psilocybin treatment for depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life care. Red Willow Hospice in Taos expects to begin treating its first patient by the end of the year, potentially becoming one of the only hospice programs in the country to incorporate psychedelics in end-of-life care.
New Mexico is one of only three states to legalize psilocybin for psychedelic-assisted therapy in a medical context and the only state to do so via legislation, with Colorado and Oregon using the ballot. Importantly, New Mexico is the only state with built-in funding to make treatment accessible and equitable.
Red Willow’s medical director, Dr. Joanna Hooper, noted that ketamine treatment will be available even sooner than psilocybin. She emphasized the therapeutic benefits: “It increases the neuroplasticity in the brain and allows people to cope with traumas, have a greater sense of connectedness to the world, and to feel okay about the end of life.” Red Willow received a $100,000 “Walking Each Other Home” grant alongside institutions like the Mayo Clinic to fund intensive training through the Conscious Physicians Psychedelics Academy.
Access and Implementation
Medicaid will not cover the therapy since psilocybin remains a Schedule I drug federally classified as having “no currently-accepted medical use.” Lawmakers allocated $630,000 to an Equity Treatment Fund to ensure low-income patients can access treatment. The program will launch by the end of the year, with a public rule hearing set for April 24, 2026. A traditional therapeutic dose ranges between 2.5 to 5 grams, requiring preparation, a guide present during treatment, and integration sessions afterward.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.taosnews.com/news/health/red-willow-hospice-to-offer-psilocybin-treatment/article_b81ec083-6ab3-5a68-8b59-149bb28fa8f6.html