Drafting client agreements for psilocybin service centers

Last reviewed: August 2026 · Psychedelic law changes quickly — verify current status before relying on this page.

Who this is for: Oregon psilocybin service center operators and Colorado healing center operators preparing the written agreement participants sign before receiving services, and the facilitators and lawyers who help draft it.

The short answer

A client agreement is the contract between the service center and the participant. It sets out what the participant is paying for, what the service center will and will not provide, the cost and cancellation terms, and what each side is responsible for. In Oregon, the agreement cannot describe the services as therapy, treatment, or medical care, because state rule and the limits of the facilitator role prohibit those claims. The client agreement is separate from the informed consent document and from any waiver, though the participant usually signs the three together, and the three should not contradict each other.

What a client agreement is and is not

The client agreement is a commercial services contract. It governs the business relationship: payment, scheduling, the services included, and the terms under which either side can cancel. It is not a treatment plan or a therapy contract. In Oregon, OPS rules and the boundaries of the facilitator role bar a service center from offering or describing its services as medical treatment or psychotherapy, even when the participant comes for a mental health reason. Why calling it therapy is a legal problem in Oregon explains the rule and the language to avoid. The agreement should describe the services in the terms the state uses: preparation, administration, and integration sessions delivered by a licensed facilitator.

Parties, scope, and the services included

The agreement names the service center as the contracting party and the participant as the client. The facilitator is usually an agent of the service center rather than a party to the agreement, and their obligations run through the center. The scope section lists what the participant receives: the number of preparation, administration, and integration sessions, the setting, and the duration of each. Oregon requires an integration session offered within 72 hours of administration, and the agreement should state how that is scheduled. Where services are delivered in a group, the agreement should say so and describe the group size, which Oregon caps at 25 participants and Colorado at 64.

Fees, payment, and cancellation

Oregon psilocybin services are paid out of pocket, and no insurance covers them. The agreement should state the total cost, what it includes, and when payment is due. Cancellation and rescheduling terms have direct financial consequences, because a participant who cancels late or does not appear has consumed a scheduled administration slot. The agreement should set out the refund policy, any non-refundable deposit, and the notice required to reschedule without penalty. Pricing transparency and fee disclosure requirements covers the disclosure rules that constrain how fees are presented.

Client disclosures and obligations

The agreement records what the participant agrees to do. This usually includes disclosing current medications and relevant medical history, because some conditions and drugs are exclusions or contraindications. Lithium use within 30 days is an absolute exclusion in Oregon, and current ideation of harm to self or others and a history of active psychosis are formal exclusions. The agreement should require the participant to disclose accurately and should state that the service center relies on those disclosures. It should also record the participant’s agreement to follow the safety instructions given during the session and to remain at the service center until the facilitator determines it is safe to leave.

Limiting liability, and the limits of those clauses

Client agreements often include language assigning risk to the participant and limiting the service center’s liability. These clauses have limits. A release cannot waive liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct, and a court may refuse to enforce an overbroad waiver. Waiver and release clauses: what they cover and what they don’t covers what these provisions can and cannot do. The agreement should also state what the service center does not provide, including that facilitators do not diagnose, treat, or provide medical or psychological care; Scope of practice: what are facilitators legally prohibited from doing? covers those boundaries.

The client agreement, the informed consent document, and any waiver are separate instruments signed at intake. The consent document records the participant’s understanding of the effects and risks of psilocybin services and is governed by state rule; Informed consent beyond the OHA template: what additional provisions matter covers it. The waiver allocates legal risk. The client agreement sets the commercial terms. The three should use consistent definitions and should not contradict each other on points such as cancellation, the description of services, or the participant’s obligations.

Early termination of a session

The agreement should address what happens when services end early. A facilitator may need to stop a session for a medical emergency, and a service center may decline to continue with a participant who is intoxicated, threatening, or unable to proceed safely. What happens when a client has a medical emergency during a session? and Can a facilitator refuse to serve a client? cover those situations. The agreement should state how fees are handled when a session ends early, so the financial outcome does not become a separate dispute.

Confidentiality and records

The agreement should describe how the service center handles the participant’s information and records. Confidentiality obligations come from state rule and, where a licensed health professional is involved, possibly from HIPAA. What facilitators need to know about client confidentiality and data privacy and HIPAA, state privacy law, and psychedelic client records cover the obligations the agreement should reflect.

When public information may be enough

OPS and the Colorado Department of Revenue publish the rules that define the services, the session structure, and the exclusions a client agreement must reflect. An operator can read those rules and assemble a draft that covers the basic commercial terms. Sample service agreements also circulate among operators and through industry groups.

When you should speak with a lawyer

The provisions that carry legal risk are the ones that depend on how a court would read them: the liability and release language, the disclaimers about what the service is not, and the disclosure and assumption-of-risk terms. A poorly drafted waiver can fail when it is most needed, and language that drifts toward describing the service as treatment can create a regulatory problem. A lawyer should draft or review the agreement and align it with the consent and waiver documents the participant signs at the same time.

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This article provides general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Psychedelic law differs by state and changes over time. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything described here.