Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump is Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness

This text is a Fact Sheet detailing an Executive Order signed by President Donald J. Trump (dated April 18, 2026) aimed at removing regulatory barriers to using psychedelic drugs as treatments for serious mental illness (SMI) and veteran suicide.The document breaks down the initiative into three main areas:The Executive Order implements several regulatory changes to speed up the availability of psychedelic therapies:Priority Review: Directs the FDA to provide "National Priority Vouchers" to psychedelic drugs with "Breakthrough Therapy" designations to fast-track their approval.Expanded Access: Uses the Right to Try Act to allow eligible patients to access investigational psychedelics (like ibogaine) before full FDA approval.State & Federal Funding: Allocates $50 million through ARPA-H to match state-level investments in psychedelic research.Inter-agency Cooperation: Mandates collaboration between the HHS, FDA, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase clinical trial participation.Expedited Rescheduling: Orders the Attorney General to review and potentially reschedule these substances immediately after successful Phase 3 trials.The text justifies these measures by highlighting a "stalled" progress in mental health:Statistics: Notes that 14 million Americans suffer from SMI, with veteran suicide rates being twice as high as the general population (over 6,000 deaths per year).Political Narrative: Claims suicide rates decreased during Trump's first term but "rebounded" due to Biden-era pandemic lockdowns.Scientific Support: Cites ongoing research at institutions like Stanford and Johns Hopkins, as well as a 2025 Texas initiative to accelerate ibogaine trials.The document frames this Order as a continuation of President Trump's "American Workers and Veterans First" agenda, linking it to previous legislative actions:The Right to Try Act: Providing a pathway for terminal or treatment-resistant patients to access experimental drugs.The HALT Fentanyl Act (2025): Which streamlined the process for conducting medical research on Schedule I controlled substances.Summary Conclusion:The primary goal of the Order is to modernize the federal approach to mental healthcare by treating psychedelics as a viable "breakthrough" medical tool, specifically targeting treatment-resistant depression and PTSD among military veterans.1. Key Policy Directives2. Addressing the Mental Health & Veteran Suicide Crisis3. Legislative Context