Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) Pilot for Camden-area Medicaid Beneficiaries

The Camden Coalition, in partnership with the Psychedelic Mental Health Access Alliance and Cooper University Health Care, is exploring the development of a community-informed model for psilocybin-assisted therapy in the Camden, New Jersey, region. This initiative focuses on the foundational work needed to ensure that any future psychedelic-assisted therapy program is designed with—and for—the communities it aims to serve. Psilocybin-assisted therapy is an emerging approach that shows promise for people experiencing conditions such as PTSD, depression, and substance use disorder, particularly when traditional treatments have not been effective. As interest in psychedelic therapies grows, there is an opportunity to design models that prioritize equitable access and integration into public health systems rather than boutique care. This project centers on community engagement. Through listening sessions, focus groups, and workshops, residents, people with lived experience, care providers, and community leaders will help shape how a future therapy program might work in practice. By grounding the design of emerging mental health treatments in community perspectives, this initiative aims to ensure that future psychedelic-assisted therapy programs are culturally responsive, accessible to Medicaid beneficiaries and other underserved populations, and sustainable within real-world public health systems—creating models that can inform implementation across New Jersey and beyond.