Connecticut lawmakers passed three significant healthcare bills focused on mental health treatment, domestic violence prevention, and veteran care. The House gave final passage to Senate Bill 191, which extends the state’s psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program and expands eligibility criteria for qualified patients suffering from trauma.
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Expansion
The expanded pilot program now allows participation of residents who are at least age 18 and meet clinical eligibility criteria established by the institutional review board of Yale University medical school, which administers the program through the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Previously, the program was limited to Connecticut military veterans, first responders, and direct health care workers struggling with post-traumatic stress or similar disorders. Participants receive either MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-assisted therapy as part of the research program, which has approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration. The bill also eliminates the current requirement that DMHAS end the pilot program if the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) approves MDMA and psilocybin for medical use. The bill passed on a 122-27 vote with 2 absent or not voting and had bipartisan support in the House.
Domestic Violence Tracking System
The Senate unanimously approved HB 5313, legislation requiring the state to develop a plan to implement a uniform, statewide identification system for domestic violence cases. The system will allow cases to be tracked from arrest through prosecution, sentencing, incarceration, and, if applicable, parole. Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, D-Bethel, stated that “for too long, we have lacked the ability to clearly follow domestic violence cases through the system.” The bill was inspired in part by the murder of Bethel resident Emily Todd. In 2024, Allie-Brennan established a subcommittee of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission to study domestic violence murder cases, which revealed that case data had been collected “in separate silos and is not connected in a way that allows policymakers to see the full picture.”
Veterans Dental Care Program
The Senate passed a substitute for HB 5406, establishing a Veterans Dental Care Program to be administered by the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund. The program will leverage the state’s existing network of private dental practices to allow veterans to receive care close to home. The bill caps services at $3,000 a year per veteran and $1,000,000 per fiscal year for the program. Coverage includes biannual examinations, fillings, root canals, crowns, prosthetics, and oral surgery, but excludes implants, fixed bridges, orthodontics, cosmetic services, and telehealth services. The bill received unanimous support from both chambers and is expected to begin serving eligible veterans in 2027. Eligibility requires state residency, a service-connected disability rating of less than 100%, household income of up to 400% of the federal poverty level, and proof of eligibility for assistance from the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund under the American Legion’s bylaws.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/05/06/lawmakers-approve-psychedelic-assisted-therapy-pilot-extension-domestic-violence-tracking-system-veterans-dental-care/