The Psychedelic Medicine Coalition’s Federal Summit is a national policy convening focused on the responsible integration of emerging therapies into U.S. healthcare systems.
Now in its second year, the Summit brings together a highly curated group of leaders shaping the future of mental healthcare at the federal level—including growing interest in how these approaches may impact mental resilience, recovery, and human performance.
Featured Speakers
The 2026 Summit will include bipartisan congressional leadership and key federal voices driving momentum in this space, including:
- Lou Correa (D-CA), Co-Chair, Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus
- Jack Bergman (R-MI), Co-Chair, Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus
- Tim Sheehy (R-MT), lead sponsor of the VA Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act, advancing veteran access to emerging therapies
- Dr. John Krystal, leading researcher in psychiatry and veteran mental health from Yale University and the VA
- Jay Kopelman, CEO, Mission to Live Foundation and veteran advocate
Additional speakers will include senior representatives from federal agencies, leading clinical researchers, and healthcare system leaders advancing implementation.
Who Attends
The Summit is designed as a working convening—not a traditional conference. Attendees include:
- Members of Congress and senior congressional staff, including PATH Caucus leadership
- Federal agencies, including the FDA, VA, SAMHSA, and NIH
- Clinical researchers and academic leaders advancing evidence-based treatments
- Healthcare system leaders and providers focused on implementation
- CEOs and innovators across biotech, mental health, and care delivery
- Veteran advocates and nonprofit leaders driving real-world impact
What the Summit Focuses On
The Federal Summit is structured around one central question:What does responsible implementation actually require?
Key topics include:
- Federal legislative pathways and bipartisan momentum
- Preparing the VA and broader healthcare systems for safe integration
- Clinical infrastructure, workforce, and standards of care
- Data, outcomes, and long-term patient support
- Public-private coordination to responsibly scale access
Why It Matters
As federal interest accelerates, the Summit serves as a critical bridge between policy and practice, bringing together the stakeholders who will determine how, when, and under what standards these therapies are integrated into care.
The focus is practical, evidence-based, and grounded in real-world implementation, particularly in the context of veterans’ health and federal systems, with increasing attention to broader applications in resilience, recovery, and sustained performance under pressure.
Participation
The Summit is invite-only with limited capacity to ensure a high-quality, solutions-oriented dialogue.
For speaker, partnership, or media inquiries, please contact:
melissa@psychedelicmedicinecoalition.org
On May 8, 2025, the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition hosted the inaugural Federal Summit on Psychedelic Medicine at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.—bringing together over 115 leaders from across government, science, industry, advocacy, and the veteran community for a landmark day of policy-focused dialogue.
The Summit marked a pivotal moment in the national conversation around psychedelic-assisted care. Kicking off with bipartisan leadership from Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Rep. General Jack Bergman (R-MI), co-chairs of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus, the day opened with a public briefing on the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act (H.R. 2623) —the first federal bill of its kind to establish psychedelic treatment hubs within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Throughout the day, attendees heard from an extraordinary lineup of speakers, including:
- Veterans speaking to the urgency of new treatment options for PTSD, chronic pain, and moral injury.
- Researchers from institutions like Johns Hopkins, UT Austin, and Harvard discussing the current state of psychedelic science.
- Federal policy experts exploring regulatory and legislative pathways.
- Healthcare and infrastructure leaders addressing what it will take to build safe, scalable delivery systems.
- Investors and entrepreneurs outlining how public-private partnerships can drive access, innovation, and equity.
The Summit closed with a challenge: to turn evidence and momentum into meaningful policy. In her closing remarks, PMC Founder & CEO Melissa Lavasani reminded the room that scientific progress alone won’t guarantee access—that lasting change will require regulatory clarity, legislative commitment, and strategic investment.
This was not just a gathering. It was a signal. That Washington is paying attention. That bipartisan leadership is taking shape. And that a coordinated national effort to bring psychedelic-assisted care into the healthcare system is underway.
Psychedelic Medicine Coalition is proud to be leading this charge. For those ready to support the work ahead, we invite you to partner with us—in advocacy, in collaboration, and in building a future where healing is finally within reach.
