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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5396
February Session, 2022
LCO No. 2872
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
Introduced by:
(PH)
AN ACT INCREASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2022) (a) As used in this section and section 1
2 of this act: 2
(1) "MDMA" means the synthetic psychoactive drug, 3,4-3
methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as ecstasy or 4
molly, that acts as a serotonin receptor agonist and reuptake inhibitor of 5
serotonin and dopamine. 6
(2) "Psilocybin" means a serotonin receptor agonist that occurs 7
naturally in some mushroom species. 8
(3) "Qualified patient" means a resident of the state who is (A) a 9
veteran, (B) a retired first responder, (C) a direct care health care worker, 10
or (D) from a historically underserved community, and who has a 11
serious or life-threatening mental or behavioral health disorder and 12
without access to effective mental or behavioral health medication. 13
(4) "Qualified applicant" means a provider of mental or behavioral 14 Raised Bill No. 5396
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health services that has received approval from the federal Food and 15
Drug Administration as an approved treatment site with an expanded 16
access protocol that allows the provider access to an investigational 17
drug for treatment use, including emergency use, pursuant to 21 CFR 18
312, as amended from time to time. 19
(5) "Approved treatment site" means the location where a qualified 20
applicant that has been selected under subsection (e) of this section as a 21
provider of MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-assisted therapy under the 22
pilot program established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section will 23
provide such therapy. 24
(b) There is established, within the Department of Mental Health and 25
Addiction Services, a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program to 26
provide qualified patients with the funding necessary to receive 27
MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-assisted therapy as part of an expanded 28
access program approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration 29
pursuant to 21 CFR 312, as amended from time to time. The department 30
shall cease to operate the pilot program when MDMA and psilocybin 31
have been approved to have a medical use by the Drug Enforcement 32
Administration, or any successor agency. 33
(c) There is established a Qualified Patients for Approved Treatment 34
Sites Fund, "PAT Fund". The fund shall contain any moneys required by 35
law to be deposited in the fund and may contain any other funds as 36
provided in subsection (d) of this section. The Department of Mental 37
Health and Addiction Services shall administer and use the fund for 38
grants to qualified applicants to provide MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-39
assisted therapy to qualified patients under the pilot program 40
established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 41
(d) For the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2023, and for each fiscal year 42
thereafter, block grant funds allocated to the department pursuant to 43
section 4-28b of the general statutes may be deposited in said fund, and 44
the department may accept contributions from any source, public or 45
private, for deposit in said fund. 46 Raised Bill No. 5396
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(e) On or before November 29, 2022, a qualified applicant may apply 47
to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for selection 48
as an approved treatment site. The department shall: 49
(1) Develop an application form for qualified applicants seeking 50
selection as an approved treatment site and, not later than October 31, 51
2022, post such application on the department's Internet web site; 52
(2) Select up to three qualified applicants as approved treatment sites 53
not later than December 28, 2022; 54
(3) Distribute one million five hundred thousand dollars from the 55
PAT Fund equally amongst the approved treatment sites; and 56
(4) Distribute an additional one million five hundred thousand 57
dollars from the PAT Fund equally amongst the approved treatment 58
sites that, prior to March 31, 2023, provided proof of receipt of a one 59
million five hundred thousand dollar matching grant from a private 60
foundation to treat qualified patients. If no approved treatment site 61
provides proof of receipt of such matching grant on or before March 31, 62
2023, the department shall distribute an additional one million five 63
hundred thousand dollars from the PAT Fund equally amongst the 64
approved treatment sites not later than March 31, 2024. 65
(f) Approved treatment sites shall collect and submit data to the 66
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, including, but 67
not limited to, its protocols for the provision of MDMA-assisted and 68
psilocybin-assisted treatment, training on the facilitation of such 69
treatment, implementation of facility standards, strategies for patient 70
protection and mitigation of drug diversion. Approved treatment sites 71
shall follow all applicable patient privacy laws in the collection and 72
submission of data to the department. As used in this subsection, "drug 73
diversion" means the transfer of a legally prescribed drug from the 74
individual for whom it was prescribed to another individual for any 75
illicit use. 76
Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2022) (a) There is established the Connecticut 77 Raised Bill No. 5396
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Psychedelic Treatment Advisory Board, which shall be part of the 78
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. 79
(b) The board shall consist of the following members: (1) Two 80
appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; (2) two 81
appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; (3) one appointed 82
by the minority leader of the House of Representatives; (4) one 83
appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (5) two appointed by the 84
Office of the Governor; (6) one appointed by the Commissioner of 85
Mental Health and Addiction Services; (7) one appointed by the 86
Commissioner of Public Health; and (8) one appointed by the 87
Commissioner of Consumer Protection. The board shall include 88
members with experience or expertise in psychedelic research, 89
psychedelic-assisted therapy, public health, access to mental and 90
behavioral health care in underserved communities, veteran mental and 91
behavioral health care, harm reduction and sacramental use of 92
psychedelic substances. 93
(c) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 94
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the board from 95
among the members of the board. The chairpersons shall oversee the 96
establishment of and make recommendations regarding the voting 97
procedures of the board. 98
(d) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 99
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to consumer 100
protection shall serve as administrative staff of the board, with 101
assistance as needed provided by employees of the Offices of Legislative 102
Research and Fiscal Analysis. 103
(e) The board shall advise the Department of Mental Health and 104
Addiction Services on the design and development of the regulations 105
and infrastructure necessary to safely allow for therapeutic access to 106
psychedelic-assisted therapy upon the legalization of MDMA, 107
psilocybin and any other psychedelic compounds. In advising the 108
department under this subsection, the board shall be responsible for: (1) 109 Raised Bill No. 5396
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Reviewing and considering the data from the psychedelic-assisted 110
therapy pilot program established under section 1 of this act to inform 111
the development of such regulations; (2) advising the department on the 112
necessary education, training, licensing and credentialing of therapists 113
and facilitators, patient safety, harm reduction, the establishment of 114
equity measures in both clinical and therapeutic settings, cost and 115
insurance reimbursement considerations and standards of treatment 116
facilities; (3) advising the department on the use of group therapy and 117
other therapy options to reduce cost and maximize public health 118
benefits from psychedelic treatments; (4) monitoring updated federal 119
regulations and guidelines for referral and consideration by the state 120
agencies of cognizance for implementation of such regulations and 121
guidelines; (5) developing a long-term strategic plan to improve mental 122
health care through the use of psychedelic treatment; (6) recommending 123
equity measures for clinical subject recruitment and facilitator training 124
recruitment; and (7) assisting with the development of public awareness 125
and education campaigns. 126
(f) The board may establish committees and subcommittees 127
necessary for the operation of the board. 128
Sec. 3. Section 21a-243 of the general statutes is repealed and the 129
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2022): 130
(a) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt 131
regulations for the efficient enforcement and operation of sections 21a-132
244 to 21a-282, inclusive. 133
(b) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may, so far as may be 134
consistent with sections 21a-244 to 21a-282, inclusive, adopt the 135
regulations existing under the federal Controlled Substances Act and 136
pertinent regulations existing under the federal food and drug laws and 137
conform regulations adopted hereunder with those existing under the 138
federal Controlled Substances Act and federal food and drug laws. 139
(c) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, acting upon the 140
advice of the Commission of Pharmacy, may by regulation designate, 141 Raised Bill No. 5396
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after investigation, as a controlled substance, a substance or chemical 142
composition containing any quantity of a substance which has been 143
found to have a stimulant, depressant or hallucinogenic effect upon the 144
higher functions of the central nervous system and having a tendency 145
to promote abuse or physiological or psychological dependence or both. 146
Such substances are classifiable as amphetamine-type, barbiturate-type, 147
cannabis-type, cocaine-type, hallucinogenic, morphine-type and other 148
stimulant and depressant substances, and specifically exclude alcohol, 149
caffeine and nicotine. Substances which are designated as controlled 150
substances shall be classified in schedules I to V by regulations adopted 151
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 152
(d) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may by regulation 153
change the schedule in which a substance classified as a controlled 154
substance in schedules I to V of the controlled substance scheduling 155
regulations is placed. On or before December 15, 1986, and annually 156
thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a list of all such schedule 157
changes to the chairmen and ranking members of the joint standing 158
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 159
relating to public health. 160
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, 161
of this section, not later than January 1, 2013, the Commissioner of 162
Consumer Protection shall submit amendments to sections 21a-243-7 163
and 21a-243-8 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies to the 164
standing legislative regulation review committee to reclassify marijuana 165
as a controlled substance in schedule II under the Connecticut 166
controlled substance scheduling regulations, except that for any 167
marijuana product that has been approved by the federal Food and 168
Drug Administration or successor agency to have a medical use and that 169
is reclassified in any schedule of controlled substances or unscheduled 170
by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration or successor agency, 171
the commissioner shall adopt the schedule designated by the Drug 172
Enforcement Administration or successor agency. 173
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, 174 Raised Bill No. 5396
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of this section, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt 175
the schedule designated by the Drug Enforcement Administration or 176
successor agency for MDMA, as defined in section 1 of this act, and 177
psilocybin, as defined in said section, if MDMA and psilocybin have 178
been approved by said administration, or successor agency, to have a 179
medical use and are reclassified in any schedule of controlled substances 180
or unscheduled by said administration or successor agency. 181
[(f)] (g) A new or amended regulation under this chapter shall be 182
adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. 183
[(g)] (h) In the event of any inconsistency between the contents of 184
schedules I, II, III, IV and V of the controlled substance scheduling 185
regulations and schedules I, II, III, IV and V of the federal Controlled 186
Substances Act, as amended, the provisions of the federal act shall 187
prevail, except (1) when the provisions of the Connecticut controlled 188
substance scheduling regulations place a controlled substance in a 189
schedule with a higher numerical designation, schedule I being the 190
highest designation, or (2) as provided in subsection (e) of this section. 191
[(h)] (i) When a drug that is not a controlled substance in schedule I, 192
II, III, IV or V, as designated in the Connecticut controlled substance 193
scheduling regulations, is designated to be a controlled substance under 194
the federal Controlled Substances Act, such drug shall be considered to 195
be controlled at the state level in the same numerical schedule from the 196
effective date of the federal classification. Nothing in this section shall 197
prevent the Commissioner of Consumer Protection from designating a 198
controlled substance differently in the Connecticut controlled substance 199
scheduling regulations than such controlled substance is designated in 200
the federal Controlled Substances Act, as amended from time to time. 201
[(i)] (j) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall, by 202
regulation adopted pursuant to this section, designate the following 203
substances, by whatever official, common, usual, chemical or trade 204
name designation, as controlled substances and classify each such 205
substance in the appropriate schedule: 206 Raised Bill No. 5396
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(1) 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-018); 207
(2) 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-073); 208
(3) 1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (JWH-200); 209
(4) 5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol 210
(CP-47,497); 211
(5) 5-(1,1-dimethyloctyl)-2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-phenol 212
(cannabicyclohexanol; CP-47,497 C8 homologue); 213
(6) Salvia divinorum; and 214
(7) Salvinorum A. 215
[(j)] (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this 216
section, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall designate the 217
following substances, by whatever official, common, usual, chemical or 218
trade name designation, as controlled substances in schedule I of the 219
controlled substances scheduling regulations: 220
(1) Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone); and 221
(2) MDPV (3,4-methyenedioxypyrovalerone). 222
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2022) The Department of Consumer 223
Protection shall consider for adoption any nonbinding federal 224
guidelines from the federal Department of Health and Human Services 225
regarding the practice of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The Connecticut 226
Psychedelic Treatment Advisory Board established under section 2 of 227
this act and members of the public may submit written comments to the 228
department during a notice and comment period established by the 229
department regarding adoption of and any suggested changes to such 230
guidelines that may better meet the needs of state residents. The 231
department shall post the procedures and deadline for submission of 232
written comments during such notice and comment period on its 233
Internet web site. 234 Raised Bill No. 5396
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Sec. 5. Subdivision (29) of section 21a-240 of the 2022 supplement to 235
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 236
thereof (Effective July 1, 2022): 237
(29) "Marijuana" means all parts of any plant, or species of the genus 238
cannabis or any infra specific taxon thereof, whether growing or not; the 239
seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; every 240
compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of 241
such plant, its seeds or resin, any product made using hemp, as defined 242
in section 22-61l, which exceeds three-tenths per cent total THC 243
concentration on a dry-weight basis; manufactured cannabinoids, 244
synthetic cannabinoids, except as provided in subparagraph (E) of this 245
subdivision; or cannabinon, cannabinol or cannabidiol and chemical 246
compounds which are similar to cannabinon, cannabinol or cannabidiol 247
in chemical structure or which are similar thereto in physiological effect, 248
which are controlled substances under this chapter, except cannabidiol 249
derived from hemp, as defined in section 22-61l, with a total THC 250
concentration of not more than three-tenths per cent on a dry-weight 251
basis. "Marijuana" does not include: (A) The mature stalks of such plant, 252
fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such 253
plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or 254
preparation of such mature stalks, except the resin extracted from such 255
mature stalks or fiber, oil or cake; (B) the sterilized seed of such plant 256
which is incapable of germination; (C) hemp, as defined in section 22-257
61l, with a total THC concentration of not more than three-tenths per 258
cent on a dry-weight basis; (D) any substance approved by the federal 259
Food and Drug Administration or successor agency as a drug and 260
reclassified in any schedule of controlled substances or unscheduled by 261
the federal Drug Enforcement Administration or successor agency 262
which is included in the same schedule designated by the federal Drug 263
Enforcement Administration or successor agency; or (E) synthetic 264
cannabinoids which are controlled substances that are designated by the 265
Commissioner of Consumer Protection, by whatever official, common, 266
usual, chemical or trade name designation, as controlled substances and 267
are classified in the appropriate schedule in accordance with 268 Raised Bill No. 5396
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subsections [(i)] (j) and [(j)] (k) of section 21a-243, as amended by this 269
act; 270
Sec. 6. (Effective July 1, 2022) The sum of three million dollars is 271
appropriated to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction 272
Services from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, 273
for deposit in the Qualified Patients for Approved Treatment Sites Fund 274
established under section 1 of this act. 275
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2022 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2022 New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2022 21a-243
Sec. 4 July 1, 2022 New section
Sec. 5 July 1, 2022 21a-240(29)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2022 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To increase access to mental health medication.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]