In a striking turn in the ongoing debate over psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health care, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has rejected a suicide-prevention grant application from No Fallen Heroes — a nonprofit that helps veterans access psychedelic therapy programs abroad. The group, which facilitates trauma-informed support and “sacred-medicine healing retreats,” says it has assisted more than 100 veterans and first responders over the past five years.
The decision comes despite recent comments from VA Secretary Doug Collins, who has openly supported expanding access to substances like ibogaine for veterans battling severe mental health challenges. Collins reportedly raised the issue during a Cabinet meeting in May, even bringing it to President Donald Trump’s attention — a signal that interest in psychedelic-assisted treatment is rising at high levels of government.
Still, the VA’s Office of Suicide Prevention deemed the application ineligible, stating that No Fallen Heroes “did not meet one or more of the requirements in 38 C.F.R. § 78.20 for threshold review.” The notice did not elaborate on which criteria were unmet, nor did it address the organization’s track record or approach.
For the nonprofit’s founder, Navy veteran Matthew “Whiz” Buckle, the decision lands like a blow to progress. He emphasized that the group’s work has already changed or saved the lives of more than 100 veterans and first responders and argued that bureaucratic technicalities — not lack of impact — stood in the way.
The episode highlights a growing tension inside the VA: while leadership signals a willingness to explore psychedelic treatments, institutional structures remain slow to adapt. Until those frameworks evolve, advocates worry that innovative programs may remain out of reach — and veterans in crisis may continue waiting for solutions that could help.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
VA Gives Veterans a Psych-Bump — Then Cuts the Throttle
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