ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 3852

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 24, 2025

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 3852 ACS.

      This substitute bill establishes Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Therapy Pilot Program (pilot program), and appropriates $6 million to fulfill the bill’s purposes.

      Under the bill, the pilot program is to be overseen by the Department of Health (department) and the Psychedelic Therapy and Research Advisory Board (board), which is to comprise of 11 members as provided for in the bill. The responsibilities of the board are to include:  (1) researching and gathering available medical, psychological, and scientific studies, social scientific research, and other information relating to the safety of psilocybin and any other psychedelic substances and their efficacy in ameliorating behavioral health conditions; (2) evaluating outcomes of the pilot program and any research, pilot programs, and access programs related to psilocybin or other psychedelic substances under the laws of other states; and (3) making recommendations, in collaboration with the department, to the Legislature that consider efficacy, safety, and affordability for the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan to provide therapeutic access to psilocybin.

     The bill provides that the department is not to establish, implement, or enforce a requirement, specification, or guideline under the pilot program that conflicts with protocols and guidelines from the United States Food and Drug Administration related to clinical trials for psychedelic substances. 

     No later than 180 days after the substituted bill’s effective date, the department is to establish and implement a process and issue a request for proposals by which hospitals may submit applications for participation in the pilot program.  The department is to develop a set of criteria by which applying hospitals are to be evaluated for participation in the pilot program and perform selections no later than 60 days after the release of the request for proposals.  The department is to select one qualified hospital from each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State, provided that an applicant from each of these regions meets the department’s criteria.  The department is to require each participating hospital to collect and report data and information related to the pilot program and patient outcomes. 

     Following the completion of year two of the pilot program, the department and board are to prepare and submit reports to the Governor and Legislature with findings and recommendations, as provided in the bill.