The MDMA Therapy Training Program has launched a series of trainings to prepare therapy providers to become eligible to work on an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD protocol.
The Psychedelic Medicine and Cultural Trauma Community Workshop and the MDMA Therapy Training for Communities of Color events took place in Louisville, Kentucky on August 10-17, 2019. The community leaders, organizers, advocates, therapists, and healers who came together at these two powerful events truly embody the resilient strength and celebration inherent in a gathering around growth, healing, and psychedelic medicine. Inspiring workshop presentations explored community, culture, oppression, racism, traditional healing practices, ritual, earth-based wisdom, harm reduction, integration, policy, education, psychedelic medicines, clinical research, trauma therapy, intergenerational trauma, music, spirituality, and body wisdom. A total of 55 trainees learned about the therapeutic approach of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Of the 55 trainees, 53 were clinicians and researchers of color from across the U.S. Trainees brought wisdom and experience to conversations about delivering culturally-informed care. The week’s themes included cultivating the power of community, slowing to the pace of trust and relationship-building, and being involved in local collaborations and initiatives to deliver care and trainings with integrity. Belinda Eriacho, M.P.H., offered a presentation on the history of traditional use of plant medicines in Native populations, including the use of sassafras, which is a precursor to MDMA. This event also inspired and motivated a number of organizational insights and learnings about working cross-culturally and at the cutting edge. Many people contributed to these events in a number of different ways. Presenters during the two events included: Sara Reed, M.S., M.F.T., Camille Barton, Ismail Lourido Ali, J.D., Monnica Williams, Ph.D., A.B.P.P., Belinda Eriacho, MPH, Carl Hart, Ph.D., Marcela Ot’alora, L.P.C., Mellody Hayes, M.D., Kwasi Adusei, D.N.P., PMHNP-BC, Jamilah R. George, M.Div., Joe Tafur, M.D., Terence Ching, M.S., Marca Cassity, L.M.F.T., Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Shannon Carlin, M.A., A.M.F.T., Angella Okawa, M.A., L.M.F.T. Additional support and strength was provided by MAPS and MAPS PBC staff including Angelica Garcia, Natalie Ginsberg, Ritika Aggarwal, Sarah Scheld, as well as MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) Advisory Council Members Angella Okawa, L.M.F.T., Camille Barton, Jae Sevelius, Ph.D., Marca Cassity, M.F.T., Sara Reed, M.S. In addition, a number of community leaders rose up and demonstrated their care, insights, and leadership throughout the events. We are excited to work toward making this training and treatment modality more applicable and accessible. Thank you to all who supported these events.
Our next MDMA Therapy Training Program retreat will take place from October 1-8, 2019, in Asheville, North Carolina, and will be led by Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., and Michael Mithoefer, M.D. Registration for the October training is now full. Future training retreats will be announced through the training newsletter as they are scheduled.
In January 2019, MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) submitted an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD protocol to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of an application to participate in the FDA Expanded Access (EA) program. We’ve received and responded to several rounds of comments from FDA regarding our protocol submission for Expanded Access, and we will likely hear from the FDA next month. The Expanded Access program’s purpose is to grant access to potentially beneficial investigational treatments for individuals or populations facing a serious or immediately life-threatening condition for which there is no satisfactory treatment currently available. If approved, MAPS PBC will start with a limited number of qualified sites to provide MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for participants with treatment-resistant PTSD under a MAPS PBC protocol.
Sites in the U.S. and U.S. territories interested in being considered to participate in an MDMA/PTSD protocol may now apply with MAPS PBC to assess eligibility and obtain the prerequisite training to administer MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. The basic requirements of a qualified site are 1) treatment facility conducive to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 2) therapy team, qualified and able to complete MDMA Therapy Training Program, and 3) prescribing physician who can obtain a DEA Schedule I license for MDMA.
Sites in the U.S. and U.S. territories interested in being considered to participate in an MDMA/PTSD protocol may now apply with MAPS PBC to assess eligibility and obtain the prerequisite training to administer MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. The basic requirements of a qualified site are 1) treatment facility conducive to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 2) therapy team, qualified and able to complete MDMA Therapy Training Program, and 3) prescribing physician who can obtain a DEA Schedule I license for MDMA.
Additional site and practitioner requirements are posted on our website. Each site must submit one site questionnaire and all applicants interested in training need to complete a therapy training application for providers. Only applicants affiliated with a qualifying site can be considered for training at this time. MAPS PBC will review applications on an ongoing basis, as they are received.
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