In a world-first, Australia's Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) began funding psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for eligible veterans from November 2025 — making Australia the only country in the world to have a government body formally reimburse these treatments.

Under the program, eligible DVA card holders with a diagnosis of PTSD or treatment-resistant depression can now access funded psilocybin therapy, following the TGA's approval of authorised psychiatrists to prescribe psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.

The decision is significant not only for veterans, but as a signal of how seriously Australian health authorities are taking the emerging evidence base for psychedelic medicine.

Who is eligible?

Psilocybin therapy is available to eligible Gold and White Card holders with a diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression, including those under the Non-Liability Health Care provisions for mental health conditions. The treatment is considered a fourth-line option — meaning patients must have already attempted multiple standard treatments without adequate success.

Strict requirements apply: treatment must be delivered or overseen by a TGA-authorised psychiatrist, and DVA will fund a maximum of three dosing sessions. Department of Veterans' Affairs

Private insurers are also moving

The government isn't the only payer stepping up. Medibank, Australia's largest private health insurer, set aside AUD $10 million for a pilot project to fund access to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, which began with MDMA in mid-2025 and was expanded to include psilocybin later in the year.

If you are a veteran or a carer of a veteran who may benefit from this program, the first step is speaking to your treating GP or mental health provider for a referral to an authorised prescriber.