[Organization Letterhead]
[Date]

Dear Members of the Utah Legislature,

I am writing in support of HB 390, Veterans PTSD Clinical Research Amendments.

As a [clinician / researcher / faculty member] with experience in [mental health, trauma care, clinical research, veteran health], I appreciate the care and restraint with which HB 390 is written. The bill does not seek to expand access to psychedelic-assisted therapies or alter their legal status. Rather, it establishes a narrowly defined, research-first framework that aligns with federal law and established standards for clinical investigation.

HB 390 authorizes the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to support a safety and feasibility clinical study for veterans with PTSD to be conducted by the University of Utah’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Importantly, the bill requires all appropriate federal and ethical approvals - including FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) authorization, DEA Schedule I research registration, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval - before any study activities may begin. These requirements ensure that participant safety, ethical oversight, and scientific integrity remain central to the work.

I am also encouraged by the bill’s emphasis on evidence-based, trauma-informed preparatory and integrative psychotherapy, detailed medical oversight protocols, robust adverse event monitoring, and clear reporting requirements to the Legislature. Together, these provisions reflect a thoughtful and responsible approach to studying emerging interventions without exposing patients, providers, or the state to unnecessary risk.

Veterans in Utah continue to experience high rates of PTSD, and a subset do not respond adequately to existing treatment options. HB 390 allows Utah to responsibly contribute to the scientific understanding of whether psychedelic-assisted therapy merits further consideration - without bypassing regulatory accountability or evidentiary rigor.

For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to support HB 390.

Sincerely,
[Name, Credentials]
[Title / Organization]

[Organization Letterhead or Individual Address]
[Date]

Dear Members of the Utah Legislature,

I write in support of HB 390, a bill that takes a careful and responsible step toward addressing the unmet mental health needs of veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Like many Utah families, I have seen firsthand how the effects of trauma can persist despite access to conventional treatments. HB 390 does not promise a cure, nor does it legalize or expand access to psychedelic substances. Instead, it authorizes a time-limited, federally compliant clinical research study, conducted by the University of Utah’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute. It is designed to answer foundational questions about safety and feasibility.

What stands out to me about HB 390 is its restraint. The bill requires full FDA oversight, DEA Schedule I research registration, and Institutional Review Board approval before any study activities may begin. It also mandates medical supervision, structured trauma-informed psychotherapy, legislative reporting requirements, and a sunset date, ensuring that any future decisions are guided by evidence rather than speculation.

At a time when public trust in health policy matters deeply, HB 390 demonstrates how Utah can approach innovative mental health research with humility, caution, and compassion, particularly when it comes to the care of veterans who have already given so much in service to our state and country.

For these reasons, I respectfully encourage you to support HB 390.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Affiliation, if applicable]

Dear Members of the Utah Legislature,

I am writing in support of HB 390, Veterans PTSD Clinical Research Amendments, a carefully designed bill that authorizes a federally compliant clinical research study of psychedelic drug–assisted therapy for veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Across the United States and in Utah, veterans face a mental health crisis that demands sustained attention. National estimates indicate that nearly 20% of post-9/11 veterans experience PTSD in a given year, and Utah veterans experience elevated rates of suicide and functional impairment related to unresolved trauma compared with the general population.¹ Despite the availability of evidence-based treatments, a substantial subset of veterans continues to experience persistent symptoms that significantly diminish quality of life, family stability, and community engagement.

This reality underscores the need to explore novel treatment approaches. However, urgency must never supersede responsibility. HB 390 strikes a thoughtful balance by allowing Utah to contribute to the scientific understanding of these interventions through a safety and feasibility study conducted by the University of Utah’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute, within the existing federal oversight framework. The bill explicitly requires FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) authorization, Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule I research registration, and Institutional Review Board approval before any research activities may begin. These protections ensure that participant safety, ethical integrity, and scientific rigor remain central to the work.

I am particularly encouraged by the bill’s inclusion of evidence-based, trauma-informed preparatory and integrative psychotherapy, along with detailed requirements for medical oversight, adverse-event monitoring, and legislative reporting. These provisions reflect best practices in clinical research and align with the high standards expected by both medical professionals and the public.

HB 390 does not expand general access to psychedelic substances. Rather, it responsibly positions Utah to generate evidence that may inform future policy, clinical practice, and veteran care initiative, without bypassing regulatory accountability or public trust. For veterans who have given so much in service to our country, this represents a compassionate and pragmatic step forward.

For these reasons, I respectfully encourage your support of HB 390.

Sincerely,
[Name, Credentials]
[Title / Organization]