Ohio State’s Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education collaborates with MAPS for the Ohio P.E.A.C.E. program

Using funding provided by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education (CPDRE) will equip more than 127,000 Ohio professionals with skills in psychedelic harm reduction and crisis response

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over the last decade, increased media attention on the potential benefits of using psychedelic drugs for medicinal and therapeutic purposes has led to a corresponding rise in non-use of these drugs.

According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the percentage of people aged 12 or older who used hallucinogens in the past year increased from 2.7% (or 7.6 million people) in 2021 to 3.6% (or 10.4 million people).

Without dosage guidance, trained supervision, or other risk reduction mechanisms in place, new users of psychedelics may find themselves in an overwhelming or dysregulating situation. If that escalates to distress, physical risks, or unintentional behavior that requires emergency intervention, they may interact with first responders or behavioral healthcare professionals who want to help them but do not know the best way to do so.

“People have started to learn about the benefits of psychedelics while, at the same time, the federal government categorizes these as controlled substances,” said Dr. Stacey B. Armstrong, associate director of the CPDRE at The Ohio State University College of Social Work. “With the promising outcomes of clinical trials, there has been an explosion of information, but the information has been limited in addressing adverse experiences and harm reduction.”

Addressing a Growing Need
This is where the newly funded Psychedelic Emergency, Acute, and Continuing Care Education (P.E.A.C.E.) program comes in. The program, developed and administered by CPDRE and funded by a $400,000 SOAR Innovation grant from the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH, formerly the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services), consists of in-person seminars and online training materials for emergency departments, first responders, law enforcement, and behavioral health professionals. Seminars will be held in January, March, and July of 2026.

The P.E.A.C.E. Program is being advanced in collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a nonprofit psychedelic research and education organization. After the city of Denver, CO became the first city in the country to initiate and pass the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Initiative in 2019, MAPS partnered with the city’s public safety leadership to create and deliver a first-of-its-kind emergency responder psychedelic crisis training to emergency medical, law enforcement, and mental health staff. The CPDRE has integrated MAPS’ training material — specialized video modules and assessments on psychedelic crisis recognition, response, and responder liability — into the P.E.A.C.E. curriculum. This collaboration combines the CPDRE’s research and workforce expertise with MAPS’ decades of leadership in harm reduction and clinical training to prepare professionals to respond safely, compassionately, and effectively to psychedelic-related crises.

“MAPS’ collaboration with Ohio State University’s CPDRE and its P.E.A.C.E. initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that, as the use of psychedelics in ceremony, therapy, and community expands, so too does the corresponding infrastructure that supports individual safety, compassionate de-escalation, and real-world preparedness. Equipping first responders and behavioral health professionals with psychedelic crisis recognition and response skills doesn’t just improve our response to mental health emergencies — it’s also a key part of creating a safer and more dignified future for all” said Sia Henry, MAPS Senior Policy Associate.

“We want to arm our first responder and behavioral health workforce with knowledge about how to support someone’s challenging psychedelic experience in a way that’s going to be helpful, not increase risk or harm,” said Armstrong. “We created the P.E.A.C.E. program to start educating Ohio’s front-line workers and support them in facilitating quality care, psychedelic-informed crisis triage and referral guidance to healthcare providers with specialized training in psychedelic harm reduction.”

Strengthening Ohio’s Workforce
The program is designed to reach Ohio’s more than 127,000 professionals across disciplines and behavioral health settings, including doctors, nurses, social workers, EMTs, police, psychiatrists, and many others. By offering the training at no cost, P.E.A.C.E. helps ensure Ohio’s workforce has consistent, evidence-based tools to provide safer, more compassionate care in high-stress situations and during behavioral health crises.

“CPDRE is all about access and affordability,” said Tina Romanella, CPDRE’s program coordinator. “Too much information in this space is inaccessible, unaffordable, or inaccurate. Our job is to make it all three: accessible, affordable, and accurate.”

“We’ve created this content, but its value depends on reaching the people who need it,” said Angela Douglas, CPDRE clinical research coordinator. “With DBH’s network and workforce expertise, we’re confident we can get this training to every corner of the state. They have extensive connections. Their workforce development and policy leads are actively recruiting and gathering information, so we’re talking to the right people to make sure this gets where it needs to go.”

For more information, contact csw-cpdremedia@osu.edu.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR PSYCHEDELIC DRUG RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
The Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education (CPDRE) at The Ohio State University unites faculty, clinicians, researchers, students, and community partners to lead innovation in psychedelic science. Founded in 2022, the CPDRE is advancing transformative research, education, and service to Revolutionize Healing and expand our understanding of the mind, health, and society. By bridging disciplines and fostering collaboration, the center is shaping the future of psychedelic studies and driving breakthroughs with global impact.

ABOUT MAPS
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful use of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS previously sponsored the most advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy research in the world and continues to support psychedelic and marijuana research with a focus on the people and places most impacted by trauma. MAPS incubated Lykos Therapeutics, a drug-development public benefit company, and The Zendo Project, a leader in psychedelic harm reduction. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $150 million to advance psychedelic research, change drug policy, and shape culture.

ABOUT THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) works to ensure every Ohioan has access to quality behavioral health care. In partnership with local boards, providers, and communities, DBH is committed to reducing stigma, strengthening supports, and helping people be well, get well, and stay well. The department operates six regional behavioral health care hospitals, serving around 3,000 Ohioans annually. In addition, DBH licenses, certifies, and regulates more than 2,400 community behavioral health providers, while also ensuring patients’ rights within the system.

Media Contact:
media@maps.org

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