Grant Funding Provides Research Opportunities to Help Prevent Veteran Suicide
June 16, 2023
Suicide is among the leading causes of death for Veterans under age 45, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The rate for this group is 57% higher than among civilians.
A national advocacy organization, the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition (VMHLC), is focused on preventing Veteran suicide through the use of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Breakthrough Therapies designation, which has been applied to medicine 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Clinical studies conducted by national flagship research institutions find that MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies could be lifesaving interventions for patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and alcohol use disorder.
The development of a grant program is underway in Illinois for healthcare professionals pursuing or interested in researching psychedelic medicine. The Illinois Breakthrough Therapies for Suicide Prevention Program creates a funding mechanism within the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for competitive grants to be administered to accelerate research and deployment of these therapies for treatment of conditions that increase the risk of Veteran suicide. The grants would also go toward funding direct patient treatment with psychedelic medicine through the FDA's expanded access and compassionate use programs.
If you are interested in researching psychedelic medicine under this grant program, please contact Peter Baroni by email.