OC leaders form advisory panel to push psychedelic therapy bill

Congressman Lou Correa and Marine veteran Nick Berardino launched an Orange County advisory committee Wednesday to advance House legislation that would codify President Trump's executive order permitting clinical use of psychedelic drugs to treat PTSD, addiction and mental illness.

The effort signals that Orange County — home to UC Irvine and the OC Health Care Agency — could become a national hub for psychedelic-assisted therapy policy as Congress weighs how to regulate treatments that advocates say could transform care for veterans, trauma survivors and people with addiction.

About a dozen local business, medical, law enforcement and veteran leaders gathered in Anaheim for the committee's inaugural meeting, according to Voice of OC. The group plans to hold private and public forums and work with UC Irvine and the OC Health Care Agency to build research and education infrastructure, and to generate public sector support for integrating treatments with psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine into conventional mental health resources.

Correa, a Democrat who co-founded the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus alongside Republican Rep. Jack Bergman, framed the effort as a public health matter. "This is not just about dropping acid," he told Voice of OC. "This is about public safety." Correa and Bergman have also introduced legislation providing $30 million for psychedelics-focused "centers of excellence" at Veterans Affairs facilities.

Berardino, a Marine who deployed to Vietnam in 1967 and saw combat at Khe Sanh, cited VA studies showing 22 veterans take their own lives each day. "Living with PTSD, you can manage it. But living with it … you live in a dark cloud the rest of your life," he said, according to Voice of OC. In a separate remark, Berardino added: "Watching your friends killed is a dark, dark place, and nobody walks out of that. It's hell to live with that."

Correa described psychedelic therapies as treatments that "reset your brain" and predicted broader impact: "Everybody recognizes this stuff is going to change, revolutionize mental health. Private money is lined up." He also cast the push as part of a broader rethinking of drug policy: "We're talking about reexamining the war on drugs, which was not based on science but politics. 'Just say no' hasn't worked."

Berardino outlined the committee's mandate: "Our commitment is to provide a broad community analysis to Congressman Correa for his consideration that embraces healing, innovation, and compassionate care, while addressing the societal implications and regulatory frameworks necessary to ensure safe and ethical practices."

Correa said his interest is also personal: he has a son diagnosed with Autism and believes psychedelic treatments may hold promise for neurodivergent people. The OC advisory committee's findings are expected to inform the companion House legislation as it advances through Congress.