{"id":10090,"date":"2024-03-13T12:19:46","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T12:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/?p=5985354"},"modified":"2024-03-13T12:19:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T12:19:46","slug":"denver-first-responders-to-get-psychedelic-crisis-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/denver-first-responders-to-get-psychedelic-crisis-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Denver first responders to get psychedelic crisis training"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/denver-first-responders-to-get-psychedelic-crisis-training\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<div><img src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/denver-first-responders-to-get-psychedelic-crisis-training.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p><em><strong>UPDATED on March 13 at 9:20 a.m.<\/strong> to include additional details about which departments will receive training.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>First responders in Denver will soon undergo training designed specifically to bolster psychedelic crisis response and intervention.<\/p>\n<p>The training, developed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies (MAPS)<\/a>, aims to \u201cenhance the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of first responders to quickly recognize and effectively respond to emotional and behavioral crisis incidents involving psilocybin and other psychedelics,\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.org\/2024\/03\/11\/psychedelic-crisis-assessment-and-intervention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an announcement<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n<p>Local law enforcement \u2014 including the Denver Police Department and Denver Sheriff\u2019s Department, emergency medical service personnel at Denver Health Paramedics and Denver Fire Department, and mental health first responders with the city\u2019s contractor WellPower \u2014 will receive the Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention training. Each department will receive a customized version to enhance responder safety and reduce risk and liability when individuals are experiencing a psychedelic-induced crisis.<\/p>\n<p>The curriculum addresses topics such as the psychological and physiological effects of ingesting psilocybin, which is one compound in \u201cmagic mushrooms\u201d; potential adverse effects of psilocybin; and best practices and techniques for assessing, de-escalating and managing psychedelic crises. It also covers the history and broader use of psychedelics.<\/p>\n<p>The training will be integrated as part of the local agencies\u2019 learning management systems and available to existing and future staff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe believe that this program will equip first responders with the necessary knowledge and skills to handle psilocybin-related crises in a safe and compassionate manner and ultimately improve the health and well-being of the community. This program is also a testament to the progressive and visionary leadership of Denver, which has taken a bold step to decriminalize psilocybin and create a model for other cities to follow,\u201d Sara Gael, a former harm reduction officer with MAPS who was instrumental in the program\u2019s development, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel commissioned MAPS to develop the training after the Mile High City became the nation\u2019s first to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2019\/05\/08\/denver-psychedelic-magic-mushroom\/\">effectively decriminalize \u201cmagic mushrooms\u201d<\/a> in 2019. It took three years and more than 20 experts, both at MAPS and beyond, to create the curriculum.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related right\"> <\/aside>\n<p>\u201cIt represents a giant leap forward for public health and safety with psilocybin and natural medicines in Denver and is a perfect example of what cities can do to better integrate emerging psychedelic policies into their existing infrastructures,\u201d said Kevin Matthews, an advocate and member of the policy review panel, in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear exactly when training is expected to start, but the roll-out is timely considering Colorado\u2019s recent drug-reform efforts. In 2022, voters simultaneously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2022\/11\/08\/colorado-results-prop-122-legalizing-psilocybin-psilocin-mushrooms\/\">legalized psychedelic therapy and decriminalized<\/a> five different substances at the ballot box. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2024\/02\/05\/colorado-psychedelics-decriminalization-law-psilocybin-shrooms-dmt-mescaline-arrest\/\">Decriminalization has already taken effect<\/a>, meaning it\u2019s no longer a crime to use, possess, grow and share certain psychedelics.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, a legal industry around psilocybin-assisted therapy is beginning to take shape, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2024\/03\/06\/colorado-draft-rules-psilocybin-therapy-facilitation-dora\/\">regulators drafting rules around occupational licensure<\/a>. Psychedelic therapy centers are expected to open sometime in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/newsletter-signup\/your-morning-dozen\/\">Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<p>First responders in Denver will soon undergo training designed specifically to bolster psychedelic crisis response and intervention. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[52,6811,8308,376,7427,7143,2205,6892,7938,2150,77,9,7300,8146,5019,5890,8147,8148,1,3,7072,6923,61,1736],"tags":[2632,6816,8396,2954,7429,7144,4773,6893,7939,4718,2655,7305,8151,5022,41,8152,8153,7073,6924],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10090"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10090\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}