Veteran Advocacy Organization Partners with State Legislators to Expand Access to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Opioid Use Disorder, Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder, and Neurological or Mental Health Conditions VETS Hosts "In Waves And War" Exclusive Documentary Screening on March 19, 2025 with Panel Discussion Featuring Former Gov. Rick Perry, W. Bryan Hubbard (Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative), Dr. Nolan Williams (Stanford University), and Amber & Marcus Capone (VETS Co-Founders)
AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to ending the veteran suicide epidemic, will host a Legislative Day of Action at the Texas State Capitol on March 18, 2025 to advocate for the Texas Ibogaine Initiative. The landmark bill, HB 3717, introduced by Rep. Cody Harris, aims to establish $50 million in public and private funding for research on ibogaine-assisted therapy for U.S. military veterans suffering from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), co-occurring Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and neurological or mental health conditions.
As part of this effort, VETS has organized a series of events to engage lawmakers and media, underscoring the urgent need for legislative action:
- TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2025: The Legislative Day of Action will include a press conference at the Texas Capitol Building – 1100 Congress Ave., "House Press Conference Room" 2W6 Room (8:30 AM CST), meetings with legislators and staff (10:00 AM CST), and a legislative reception (5:00 PM CST).
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025: VETS will host a private screening of the documentary "In Waves And War," followed by a panel discussion featuring VETS co-founder and Chairman Marcus Capone, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, W. Bryan Hubbard, and Stanford University's Dr. Nolan Williams. The discussion will be moderated by multi-Emmy Award-winning conflict journalist and military spouse AnneClaire Stapleton.
- RSVP by March 16, 2025 to [email protected]
The Legislative Day of Action aims to educate legislators on the transformative potential of ibogaine-assisted therapy for veterans struggling with OUD, co-occurring SUD, and neurological or mental health conditions, as well as address the critical issue that service members must travel internationally to access these treatments. Through its Foundational Healing Grants program, VETS has helped nearly 1,000 veterans access psychedelic-assisted therapies for treatment-resistant conditions, with many specifically seeking ibogaine therapy after exhausting all other options. Several VETS Foundational Healing Grant recipients will participate in meetings with approximately 70 legislative offices to share their personal healing journeys, focusing on members of key committees including House Public Health, Senate Health and Human Services, House Appropriations, Senate Finance, and House Calendars.
"For too long, America's veterans have been left with inadequate treatment options for the invisible wounds of war," said Marcus Capone, former U.S. Navy SEAL and VETS co-founder. "Many have been forced to seek ibogaine-assisted therapy outside the country because some of the most effective treatments remain out of reach here at home. The Texas Ibogaine Initiative is a vital step toward changing that reality. This effort is not just critical—it's a collaborative movement led by lawmakers, researchers, and advocates with an unwavering commitment to our nation's veterans who recognize this crisis' urgency. I commend Representative Cody Harris and all those working to push this initiative forward. Together, we are ensuring that veterans have access to life-changing treatments and no longer have to fight for their healing alone."
"Veterans deserve access to the most effective, evidence-based therapies available, and right now, many of them are forced to seek treatment outside the United States," said Amber Capone, CEO and co-founder of VETS. "Texas has long been a leader in advancing the health and well-being of those who have served, and The Texas Ibogaine Initiative represents a groundbreaking step toward making this life-changing therapy accessible here at home. We've seen firsthand how emerging therapies can transform lives when traditional treatments have failed, and we're committed to ensuring veterans don't have to travel abroad to heal from the invisible wounds of war."
At a policy level, lawmakers have introduced HB 3717 that seeks to improve veteran healthcare by funding clinical trials on ibogaine as a potential treatment for OUD, co-occurring SUD, and neurological or mental health conditions. Given the high rates of OUD and mental health challenges among veterans, this research could lead to FDA-approved therapies, making ibogaine treatments accessible through TRICARE, Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. The bill mandates the creation of specialized treatment centers with cardiac care to ensure safe, clinical administration in controlled settings. It also establishes a grant program under the Health and Human Services Commission to fund and oversee research, requiring an FDA approval pathway and ethical oversight.
VETS will also host a private documentary screening of "In Waves And War", followed by a panel discussion with VETS co-founder and Chairman Marcus Capone, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, W. Bryan Hubbard, and Stanford University's Dr. Nolan Williams. Directed by award-winning filmmakers Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen, "In Waves and War" offers an intimate look into the lives of VETS founders Marcus and Amber Capone and two retired Navy SEAL teammates as they discover the transformative power of ibogaine-assisted therapy to combat treatment-resistant PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and severe depression.
"Texas has already demonstrated leadership in psychedelic research with the passage of HB 1802 in 2021, which was a crucial first step," said Logan Davidson, Legislative Director at VETS and Executive Director of Texans for Greater Mental Health. "The Texas Ibogaine Initiative builds on that foundation, representing a major advancement in our state's commitment to finding innovative solutions for veterans facing mental health challenges. This legislation will fund essential research to make these treatments available right here in Texas."
VETS advances psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans through both pioneering research and legislative advocacy. Their collaboration with Dr. Nolan Williams at Stanford University's Brain Stimulation Lab produced a groundbreaking Nature Medicine study showing ibogaine treatment effectively addressed TBI and PTSD in Special Operations veterans, significantly reducing anxiety and depression while improving cognitive function. Most notably, suicidal ideation among participants dropped from 47% to just 7% one month post-treatment. On the policy front, VETS helped pass Texas HB 1802 for psilocybin therapy research, which recently reached a milestone as its first two patients received doses. Working with Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw, VETS has secured psychedelic research funding in the National Defense Authorization Act and continues to champion initiatives like the Douglas 'Mike' Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act.
The Texas Ibogaine Initiative is supported by a coalition of organizations committed to advancing mental health solutions for veterans, including the REID Foundation, Texans for Greater Mental Health, researchers from the University of Texas and Baylor College of Medicine, and numerous veteran advocacy groups.
For more information about VETS' advocacy and research efforts, visit www.vetsolutions.org.
Media Contact
Maria Petsanas, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), 1 9176926673, [email protected], www.vetsolutions.org
SOURCE Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS)
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