What does it mean to be a licensed natural medicine facilitator in Colorado?

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

For people considering facilitation as a practice in Colorado, or who want to understand what the Colorado natural medicine facilitator license actually authorizes.

The short answer

A licensed natural medicine facilitator in Colorado is an individual authorized by the state to support participants before, during, and after their consumption of a natural medicine product at a licensed healing center. The license is issued by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) under the Natural Medicine Health Act and must be renewed annually. Colorado’s program differs from Oregon’s in two significant ways: it offers multiple license tracks — including a Clinical Facilitator track for licensed health professionals — and uses a two-stage licensing process that issues a Training License before the full license. The first Colorado facilitator licenses were issued in December 2024, and the first regulated sessions took place in June 2025.

What the license authorizes

A Colorado facilitator license permits the holder to support participants through preparation, administration, and integration sessions at a licensed healing center. The license authorizes facilitation — not diagnosis, treatment, or clinical care in the general sense. The program currently covers psilocybin and psilocin only. DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline (excluding peyote) may be added to the program after June 2026 if the Natural Medicine Advisory Board recommends it.

The regulatory structure divides oversight between two agencies. DORA licenses and regulates facilitators. The Department of Revenue (DOR) licenses and regulates healing centers, cultivators, manufacturers, and testing facilities. A facilitator license alone does not authorize operating a healing center — that requires a separate DOR license.

License tracks

Colorado offers five pathways to facilitator licensure, which is more differentiated than Oregon’s single-track model.

Original licensure is the standard path for applicants without prior facilitator credentials. It requires completing a DORA-approved training program of at least 150 hours, 40 hours of supervised in-person practice, and 40 hours of consultation with qualified practitioners.

Endorsement is available to applicants who hold an active facilitator license in another jurisdiction — currently meaning an Oregon facilitator license in good standing for at least one year, combined with a valid Colorado secondary professional license.

Legacy healer is a pathway for individuals with substantial equivalent education, credentials, and experience to the standard training requirements.

Clinical Facilitator is available to applicants who hold an active Colorado license to practice as a medical doctor, psychologist, licensed counselor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or certain other specified health professions. Clinical Facilitators may integrate natural medicine services into their existing clinical practice in ways that general Facilitators may not. The clinical track has its own training requirements and an abbreviated consultation structure.

Accelerated clinical facilitator is available to licensed health professionals who have undergone extensive post-graduate clinical training in facilitation.

Who Colorado issues facilitator licenses to

Every applicant must be at least 21, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and pass a criminal background check. Colorado applies rehabilitation principles when evaluating felony convictions — not all convictions result in automatic disqualification, but applicants bear the burden of demonstrating fitness for licensure. No residency requirement applies, though DORA’s rules direct that Colorado residents receive application priority in processing.

No prior clinical or mental health credential is required for original licensure. The Clinical Facilitator track is the route for licensed health professionals who want to integrate their professional training into their facilitation practice.

The two-stage licensing process

Colorado uses a two-stage structure that Oregon does not. After completing the core coursework portion of a DORA-approved training program, applicants apply for a Training License before beginning the supervised practice phase. The Training License authorizes facilitators-in-training to practice under supervision while completing their remaining requirements. It is valid for up to two years, during which the practicum and consultation must be completed.

After finishing all requirements and passing the competency examination, applicants apply to DORA for the full Facilitator license.

What the training requires

Training programs must be certified by DORA. Programs must offer at least 150 hours of coursework covering Colorado natural medicine rules and regulations, substance use and recovery models, mental health safety planning, suicidality, screening and assessment, and facilitation skills. Basic life support certification is also required.

In addition to coursework, original licensure applicants must complete at least 40 hours of supervised in-person practice — including at least 30 hours of direct experience in administration sessions — and 40 hours of consultation with qualified practitioners. The consultation phase typically involves small-group mentorship, case study review, and skill refinement.

How Colorado differs from Oregon

Both programs share broad structural similarities but differ in ways that matter to a prospective facilitator. Colorado’s training requirement is 150 hours of core coursework versus Oregon’s 120, and Colorado adds a separate 40-hour consultation requirement with no Oregon equivalent. The two-stage Training License structure has no Oregon parallel. Colorado’s Clinical Facilitator track explicitly allows integration of natural medicine services into existing clinical practice — Oregon’s program keeps facilitation and clinical practice separate, with HB 2387 creating limited dual-licensure protections as of January 1, 2026. Colorado’s group session cap is 64 participants, compared to Oregon’s 25. Colorado also permits at-home facilitation for palliative care clients who cannot travel, which Oregon currently does not allow.

What the license does not cover

A Colorado facilitator license does not authorize operating a healing center, cultivating or manufacturing natural medicine products, or providing facilitation services outside a licensed healing center (except under the palliative care exception). The license does not authorize clinical diagnosis or treatment. A Clinical Facilitator working under both licenses must manage the boundary between their professional clinical license and their facilitation license — the two are not merged by the Colorado program.

When public information may be enough

DORA publishes its current rules, approved training programs, application requirements, and frequently asked questions at dpo.colorado.gov/NaturalMedicine. The Natural Medicine Health Act’s statutory basis is Proposition 122 (2022), implemented by SB23-290. Individual training programs publish their own admission criteria, tuition, and schedules.

When you should speak with a lawyer

Most of the licensing process is administrative and can be navigated using DORA’s published materials. Legal counsel becomes relevant if you have a criminal record and need to evaluate how Colorado’s rehabilitation framework applies to your history; if you hold a healthcare license and are assessing whether the Clinical Facilitator or accelerated track applies; if you are considering applying for both a facilitator license through DORA and a healing center license through DOR; or if you are evaluating whether an Oregon facilitator license qualifies you for endorsement in Colorado.

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This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and regulations governing natural medicine services change frequently. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.