Published Jul 13, 2026, 6:08 PM EDT
VA and HHS launched a new partnership to accelerate psychedelic therapies, expanding research and preparing the VA for future veteran care.
Nearly 6 million veterans live with mental illness or substance use disorders, including about 1 million with serious mental illness, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Seeking to expand treatment options for those veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services on Monday launched a five-year partnership designed to accelerate research into psychedelic therapies and prepare the VA to deliver them if they receive federal approval. VA Secretary Doug Collins and Kennedy signed a memorandum of understanding at VA headquarters implementing President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14401, which directs federal agencies to accelerate medical treatments for serious mental illness by expanding research, increasing clinical trial participation and improving coordination among agencies responsible for evaluating and delivering new therapies. The agreement establishes closer collaboration between the two departments to expand clinical trials, train therapists and physicians, share research data with the Food and Drug Administration, and develop treatment protocols so veterans can more quickly access psychedelic-assisted therapies if the FDA determines they are safe and effective.
