ATMA and Cena call the network "a crucial initiative aimed at establishing the necessary infrastructure to enable the safe, effective and regulation-compliant delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapy across Canada.”
ATMA Journey Centers Inc. and Cena Life recently announced the opening of a licensed Calgary Clinic and the establishment of the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Healthcare Network, a national clinical network in Canada for the emerging psychedelic-assisted therapy sector.
With the network, which currently includes member clinics from British Columbia to Ontario, ATMA and Cena Life aim to “help trained, competent, independent practitioners gain access to safe administration sites for ketamine-assisted therapy as well as psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy under Canada’s Special Access Program (SAP),” the organizations said in a news release.
“Utilizing Alberta’s Psychedelic Drug Treatment Service Standards and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta Accreditation Program as foundational principles, ATMA-Cena will assist clinics in our network to prepare for regulatory standards as they emerge across the provinces,” the organizations said. “This is a crucial initiative aimed at establishing the necessary infrastructure to enable the safe, effective and regulation-compliant delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapy across Canada.”
The Calgary clinic will offer KaT, rTMS, SAP application support as well as regular psychological counseling services,” according to ATMA and Cena. The site also will serve as a research center for clinical trials and in-person training.
“Future priority areas of focus include regular group integration and self-care programs for both patients and practitioners,” the organizations said in a news release. “Based on the current inaccessibility of KAP, together these clinics and our partners aim to build the awareness of the effectiveness and utility of KAP as a foundation and to bridge better accessibility to psilocybin and MDMA for practitioners and their patients.”
Several offices still are available for psychologists interested in working at the Calgary clinic, the organizations noted, “and practitioners are invited to reach out to discuss their interests.”
Recruiting Nurses Will Be a Major Focus
The initial launch of the network will include four corporate clinics in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and London (which opened in Q1), along with up to 10 additional selected member clinics spanning from coast to coast, ranging from large cities like Vancouver to more sparse population such as Sarnia, according to the organizations.
ATMA and Cena said they expect the clinics in initial launch to be operational and accessible before summer 2024. They’ll launch additional clinics “with focus on supporting accessibility for patients and practitioners located in dense and sparse populations.”
“Our objective is to ensure that practitioners and patients alike have improved access to a network of PaT clinics, regardless of where they reside across Canada,” ATMA and Cena noted. “To achieve this goal, we are focused on recruitment of registered nurses and nurse-practitioner professionals and will provide support to a select number of clinics in varying population centers, ensuring accessibility and operational success while optimizing resource utilization.”
Canada has more than 70 urban centers with populations of 50,000 or greater. In 2024, ATMA-Cena aim to bring accessibility of psychedelic-health services for up to half of these urban centers, the organizations said.
“Central to this initiative is the ecosystem that ATMA-Cena will nurture around each clinic, positioning them as pivotal service hubs within their designated areas and building the practitioner community around them,” ATMA-Cena said. “We are actively seeking partners who align with our vision, seeking like-minded clinic operators committed to long-term collaboration.
“Our ideal partners share our values of delivering PaT in a secure, efficient and regulated manner, with accessibility as the cornerstone of our approach. Together, we aim to create a network that prioritizes patient well-being while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for practitioners. Practitioners wishing to join the Psychedelic Healthcare Network are encouraged to take the required training for PaT in advance of practice.”
Practitioners and clinics interested in participating in the network can find more information on the ATMA website.