565: Oregon’s Psilocybin Therapy Program, New Focus on Perinatal Substance Use

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Friday, December 15, 2023. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

CARA BIDDLECOM: 

Since no other state has done this work before, we are figuring out a lot of important work and learning a lot as we go.

JOHNSON: 

Oregon Interim Public Health Director Cara Biddlecom talking about the launch of the first ever state-sponsored psilocybin therapy program.

BIDDLECOM: 

We're hearing excellent feedback from clients who are reporting treatments has worked very well for them in terms of depression, and PTSD, anxiety, and other conditions, many of whom have indicated that they have been suffering from conditions for a long period of time and that this has really been working well for them.

JOHNSON: 

Biddlecom says Oregon has learned a lot since launching the program and is willing to share that knowledge with others who might want to start one of their own. 

BIDDLECOM: 

There's a tremendous amount of individual client safety, legal, land use, etc. considerations that jurisdictions need to be able to consider and work through.

JOHNSON: 

Biddlecom says much of the work has centered around creating a licensing process to ensure everything runs smoothly.

BIDDLECOM: 

We have facilitator licenses, so those are individuals who provide the services to clients in a service center. We also licensed those service centers, manufacturers of products, laboratories for laboratory testing, and then we also approved training curriculum for licensed facilitators, and collection process worker permits for anybody who works in a service center.

JOHNSON: 

A variety of approaches to improve mental health are examined as part of ASTHO's 2024 Legislative Prospectus series. Our coverage of the series began Monday. It continues through the end of next week. You can read more using the links in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Public health approaches to perinatal substance use are covered in a special issue of the Maternal and Child Health Journal. It was produced by ASTHO and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs or AMCHP. Amani Echols is with AMCHP.

ECHOLS: 

For the last six years, we've been working collaboratively on this issue and this special issue, builds on the evidence-based by featuring 21 Open Access articles highlighting the latest research programs and policy initiatives to address perinatal substance use disorder.

JOHNSON: 

Echols says readers will find the work unique in the way it examines the issue.

ECHOLS: 

So, while the impact of prenatal substance exposure on the health and the development of infants has been written about extensively, this collection of articles offers a more explicit focus on the health of pregnant and postpartum people who use substances, so shifting a bit of the focus from solely on infants and fetuses, but to the pregnant person themselves. 

JOHNSON: 

Together, Echols says the articles embody five strategic directions.

ECHOLS: 

The first is assessing the state of perinatal behavioral health. Second is building a diverse and culturally competent perinatal behavioral health workforce. Third, integrating perinatal and behavioral health care services so when people seek their prenatal care, postnatal care, they're able to do that in the same place that they can access behavioral health care services.

JOHNSON: 

The last two address non-punitive and harm reduction approaches and the need for stronger systems of care. You can read the document or attend an online ceremony to unveil the journal issue on Tuesday, December 19. We've got the links in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Also today, ASTHO will launch a new online platform next month. O’Keyla Cooper has more.

COOPER: 

Join ASTHO on January 16, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET for the virtual launch of the Inspire Readiness website aimed at strengthening public health preparedness. This innovative platform offers inspiring stories, practical resources, and proven strategies for addressing key areas in public health. Reserve your spot using the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, make a resolution to stay informed in 2024 by joining the list to receive ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter, there's a link in the show notes.

Before we go, we'd like to remind you to follow this newscast on your podcast player and ASTHO on social media. We're on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. That'll do it for today.

We're back Monday morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great weekend.