The Oregon Health Authority approved Myco-Method to train future psilocybin guides in March of 2023 as part of its roll-out of Measure 109 which created the county鈥檚 first for therapeutic psychedelic mushroom use. The OHA has so far approved over 20 schools to train psilocybin facilitators.
But, as the Willamette Week , the problems began for Myco-Method when the state鈥檚 Higher Education Coordinating Commission became involved. That agency licenses private career schools, which now includes psilocybin facilitator training programs. The agency didn鈥檛 approve Myco-Method at first because the group didn't have enough reserve capital, according to the school鈥檚 founder Shasta Winn.
鈥淓verything that they're requiring is something that would involve changing a lot of the structure of how [Myco-method] was designed,鈥� said Winn. She explained that Myco-Method is affiliated with an interfaith religious organization that鈥檚 not 鈥渕otivated towards profit.鈥�
Winn said that after clarification by HECC about what capital Myco-Method needed, she faced a different hurdle due to the agency requiring licensing fees of over $5,000 for each of her instructors rather than one fee for the entire school. She said the multiple required fees are required because Myco-Method does not operate one physical school. The in-person portion of her training is hosted at a variety of temporary locations, including Ashland.
Winn petitioned for religious exemption for HECC licensing requirements, which was denied. Now the OHA has told Winn her school could lose approval as soon as this summer.
In the meantime, Winn has filed a legal complaint against HECC. She also has a suit claiming Oregon鈥檚 psilocybin regulatory agencies violated antitrust laws and her constitutional rights due to their licensing requirements. She said around 20 students have gone through Myco-Method鈥檚 curriculum while her organization has been in regulatory limbo.
Winn said she believes in the power of psilocybin-guided therapy to help people. But she鈥檚 pessimistic about the legal framework created in Oregon.
鈥淚 do feel like it has the potential to really change people on a personal level, who can then really make the world a better place,鈥� said Winn. 鈥淏ut I don't see it being possible if it starts off in the same way of corrupt, money-driven鈥� aggression.鈥�
The OHA and HECC didn鈥檛 respond to requests for comment. The OHA told Winn she has until early July to request an administrative hearing on the topic. Winn said she plans to do that if her suits against the agencies are still pending.
