Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) Takes Center Stage at Psychedelic Science 2025
Co-founders Marcus and Amber Capone Present Acclaimed Documentary "In Waves and War" and Lead Critical Discussions on the Future of Veteran Care Expert Panels to Spotlight Veteran Healing, Mental Health Innovation, and the Fight for Psychedelic Insurance Coverage
DENVER, June 16, 2025 Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to ending the veteran suicide epidemic, will play a prominent role as a Community Partner at Psychedelic Science 2025 (PS25)---the world's largest gathering of psychedelic researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and industry leaders from June 16–20 in Denver, Colorado. The event will feature key contributions from VETS co-founders Marcus and Amber Capone, including a special film screening of In Waves and War and participation in high-impact panels exploring the future of veteran mental health care.
In Waves and War Screening and Q&A:
On Tuesday, June 17, from 7:00–9:00 PM MDT, the PS25 Psychedelic Cinematheque will feature In Waves and War, directed by award-winning filmmakers Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen. The documentary intimately follows the co-founders leading VETS and other retired Navy SEALs and their families exploring psychedelic-assisted therapies to combat treatment-resistant PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and severe depression. The film chronicles the journey toward healing through psychedelic-assisted therapy and the subsequent founding of VETS with his wife, Amber Capone. The screening will include a live Q&A session with the Capones and the filmmakers.
Panel Discussions:
Healing the Homefront: Breaking the Cycle for Veterans and Military Families
The Path to Insurance Coverage & Adequate Reimbursement
"Over the last five years, we've seen psychedelic-assisted therapy move from a last resort to a frontline conversation in veteran mental health. But if we want to translate research into real-world impact, we need infrastructure: insurance coverage, trained providers, integrated care systems, and continued bipartisan support. At Psychedelic Science 2025, we're focused on the hard but necessary questions—how to scale, how to regulate, and how to ensure access doesn't leave behind the very people this movement aims to serve," said Marcus Capone, Chairman and co-founder of VETS.
"Psychedelic Science 2025 is a defining moment for the future of mental healthcare, and VETS is honored to be at the forefront of that conversation. As an organization, we've helped drive meaningful change across research, policy, and access to ensure that veterans are not just part of the story, but central to the solutions. With nearly over 1,000 grant recipients supported, a growing base of clinical evidence, and bipartisan momentum in multiple states, our work is proof that this movement isn't fringe—it's foundational. Veterans are leading the charge for innovation in mental healthcare, and VETS is proud to help carry that momentum forward," said Amber Capone, CEO and co-founder of VETS.
VETS advances psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans through both pioneering research and legislative advocacy. Their collaboration with Dr. Nolan Williams at Stanford University's Brain Stimulation Lab produced a pivotal Nature Medicine study showing ibogaine treatment effectively addressed Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Special Operations veterans, significantly reducing anxiety and depression while improving cognitive function. Most notably, suicidal ideation among participants dropped from 47% to just 7% one month post-treatment.
On the policy front, VETS helped pass Texas HB 1802 for psilocybin therapy research and continues to advocate in Texas by supporting the Texas Ibogaine Initiative. The landmark legislation, HB 3717/SB 2308, aims to establish $100 million in public and private funding for research on ibogaine-assisted therapy for individuals suffering from Opioid Use Disorder, co-occurring Substance Use Disorders, and mental health conditions. In Georgia, VETS was a key leader in securing a 7-figure appropriation for psychedelic research in the state budget. In California, VETS is the sponsor of Assembly Bill 1103, legislation that aims to expedite the start of federally--approved clinical research studies conducted at California institutions. The bill also seeks to modernize and streamline the state's approval process for controlled substance research–including research studying the use of Schedule I and II psychedelic compounds to treat PTSD, TBI, treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorders and other conditions fueling the disproportionate incidence of suicide in the veteran community. AB 1103 builds on the success of AB 2841 from 2024, the first legislation successfully championed by VETS in California to overcome procedural delays that halted the state's review of federally-approved psychedelics research for nearly a year. AB 1103, which passed the California Assembly unanimously, is now pending before the California Senate.
Nationally, VETS has worked with Congressman Dan Crenshaw to secure psychedelic research funding in the National Defense Authorization Act and is a driving force behind the Douglas "Mike" Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act.
For more information about VETS' advocacy and research efforts, visit www.vetsolutions.org.
About VETS
Founded in 2019, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to end the veteran suicide epidemic by providing resources, research, and advocacy for U.S. military veterans seeking psychedelic-assisted therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, and other health conditions. VETS envisions a world where our veterans have access to the most advanced healthcare options to heal from the mental and physical wounds of war.