HB 228-MENTAL HEALTH/PSYCHEDELIC MED. TASK FORCE  3:42:32 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 228, "An Act establishing the Alaska mental health and psychedelic medicine task force; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 228(MLV).] 3:42:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG, Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 228, as prime sponsor. She presented a sponsor statement for HB 228 [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: HB 228 seeks to create a task force to consider barriers to the implementation of and equitable access to certain psychedelic medicines ahead of the expected FDA authorization of prescription drugs that would fall under this category. The task force will report to the Legislature by December 31, 2024 what regulations or other changes are necessary in the state for Alaskans to safely benefit from these new treatments for mental health issues such as treatment-resistant depression, post- traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder and other mental health issues common in Alaska. Alaska has the highest share of veterans per capita and one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Coupled with also being a state where 43.3% of women and 30.2% of men in Alaska experience domestic violence and related crimes in their lifetimes and where 84% of American Indian/Alaska Native women experience violence, there is a potential for these medicines to have a profoundly positive impact on the mental health crises we see statewide. This task force is an opportunity to ensure we are prepared for the potential federal medicalization of these life-saving and life-changing medicines. REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG added that the task force will not consider or take a position on the medicalization, decriminalization, or legalization of psychedelic medicines. The purpose of the task force is to craft a set of policy recommendations for the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature to consider in advance of the potential medicalization of certain psychedelic medicines by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Licensing and insurance will be considered by the task force for policy recommendations. She reported that in 2021, Texas became the first state to enact a psychedelic research bill to study veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She mentioned that there are many states with similar task forces to the one proposed in HB 228. REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG emphasized the importance of the task force and said that the FDA approves about 43 novel drugs each year, but not all of them have the potential to make as big of an impact as psychedelic medicines. She reported that Alaska is suffering from an acute mental health and addiction crisis, has the third highest suicide rate in the country, and 35.6 drug overdoses per 100,000 people in state. She said that trauma can exacerbate mental health issues, which can lead to violence. She reported the high rate of women killed by men in Alaska and the high rate of women who have experienced intimate partner and/or sexual violence. 3:45:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG reported that Alaska has the largest share of veterans per capita in the United States and that veterans have a 57 percent higher suicide rate than non- veterans. She said that two out of ten veterans with PTSD also have a substance use disorder. In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stated its commitment to studying psychedelics for PTSD treatment. REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG described the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), which has conducted 20 years of clinical trials for 3,4- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for PTSD; in 2017 this therapy was deemed a "breakthrough therapy" by the FDA. Clinical trials showed that patients had "clinically significant improvements" in PTSD symptoms and that 71 percent of participants receiving the MDMA therapy no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD at the end of the study. She emphasized the potential impact of these new treatments for Alaskans struggling with mental health. She reported that there are no adverse side effects to the treatments. Later this year, the FDA is expected to announce its determination. REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG mentioned that the FDA has also granted two "breakthrough therapy" designations for psilocybin for treatment resistant depression and major depressive disorder. She listed other conditions that are being studied, including cancer-related anxiety, depression, anorexia, PTSD, substance use disorders, and chronic pain. 3:50:02 PM REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG described the MDMA therapy in greater detail. She emphasized the importance of licensing. The FDA has provided clinical guidance on the six credentials needed to be a licensed administrator of MDMA. She advised that the state should work to be prepared for when the FDA approval comes into effect. 3:52:07 PM MICHAEL DEMOLINA, PhD, Wisdom Traditions Counseling Services, provided invited testimony for HB 228. He introduced himself as a veteran with three decades of experience as a substance-abuse counselor and trauma-informed therapist. He described his first clients as veterans who served in Vietnam. DR. DEMOLINA expressed his strong support for HB 228. Through his work at the California Institute of Integral Studies graduate level program on the topic of psychedelic certification, MAPS, he will be certified. He remarked that he has gained valuable insights into the transformative power of psychedelic assisted therapy. He emphasized the importance of convening a task force to be ahead of the curve in creating guidelines. He emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive approaches to mental healthcare. He said that HB 228 creates a significant opportunity to expand the understanding and implementation of trauma-based interventions. 3:55:43 PM CHAIR SHAW after ascertaining that there were no questions from the committee, announced that HB 228 was held over.