Participants in Oregon’s psilocybin therapy program appear to be disproportionately wealthy, according to new state data.

Oregon Psilocybin Services, a division of the Oregon Health Authority, has published demographics data for its first quarter of 2025. During that time, more than 1,500 people accessed psychedelic mushroom therapy.

Out of the clients who disclosed their income, the majority made more than $95,000 per year. And the majority of clients who shared their age were over 45 years old.

Heidi Pendergast with the nonprofit Healing Advocacy Fund said some middle-aged people are turning to psilocybin after spending years searching for the right treatment option.

“People, as they get older, generally have more means to be able to spend on services,” said Pendergast. “And a lot of the people who are seeking services have struggled with mental health issues for decades, so I think they are some of the first people really wanting to step into this arena.”

Pendergast said many of these clients are paying out of pocket, since the vast majority of insurance plans don’t cover the therapy. She said treatment often ranges from $1,200 to $3,000.

“These are pretty time-intensive services,” said Pendergast. “They’re done with a lot of care and thoughtfulness. And most facilitators report they spend about 15 hours with the clients between preparation, administration and integration.”

Pendergast said it’s unlikely that major insurance companies will cover psilocybin therapy until it’s downgraded from a Schedule I drug at the federal level. But she believes Oregon’s program could help change that.

“Demonstrating safety and efficacy, and some of the research that’s starting to happen will help eventually contribute to the rescheduling of psilocybin,” she said. “Once we have that, that’s where we’re really going to see more equity in terms of people being able to access that.”

Broadening access

In the meantime, there are organizations across the state aiming to reduce barriers for communities that are being left out.

The Sheri Eckert Foundation is a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for people who can’t afford psilocybin therapy, as well as for civic leaders who it believes could benefit from the experience.

“Essentially raising money and giving it to folks who need it most,” said the foundation’s Executive Director Nate Howard, “so that folks can have a type of health care that frequently gets to the origin of problems in an era where almost all health care is palliative and addressing symptoms.”

The foundation reports that it’s raised more than $670,000 for therapy, serving more than 100 people so far. But Howard said there are still hundreds more applicants on its waitlists.

“For now, psilocybin therapy is naturally inaccessible, and it is dependent on uncommonly altruistic millionaires and billionaires and some foundations in Oregon that are willing to take a leap and include us in their grant process,” said Howard. “That’s short term, and it’s not sustainable.”

Howard said as the outcomes become clearer, there will be a point when psilocybin therapy becomes normalized.

“We’re just not doing ourselves any favors by not framing this conversation on a more appropriate timescale, which is based on years and decades,” said Howard.

Pendergast said costs have come down over time since psilocybin therapy started in Oregon in 2023, and group therapy now provides a cheaper alternative.

Additional data about psilocybin therapy usage is now available through the state’s new online dashboard.

Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/03/oregon-new-date-shows-psilocybin-therapy-clients-wealthier/