A Bend-based nonprofit clinic aims to remove the cost barriers for those wanting to get, which can be expensive and out of reach for many.
Bendable Therapy is the first psilocybin clinic in Oregon to use a nonprofit model to help make the treatments more affordable.
“We’re really focused on working with folks who have an existing mental health practice but are seeking psilocybin as a step on their mental wellness journey,” said Amanda Gow, co-founder and executive director of Bendable Therapy.
“Oftentimes, Bendable Thereapy — our treatment is about $2,300 a session. But in order to try to make that accessible, we do operate on a sliding scale,” Gow said.
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The financial burden usually falls squarely on patients’ shoulders, as psilocybin treatments are not covered by insurance.
In the case of Bendable Therapy, the cost will be very small or sometimes even nothing to patients, depending on their financial situation, and be covered by donations the nonprofit has taken in.
“We seek donations from community members, from participants, from corporations and large donors to help cover this cost, to defer this financial burden,” Gow said.
As for the timeline for when Bendable Therapy will be fully operational, they are hopeful it will be next month.
“We’ve passed an initial review in our site inspections, so we’re just waiting now for the final rubber stamp from Oregon Health Authority,” Gow said. “And we’ve been going through the process to ensure safety and quality at every step.”
