Howard University Faculty Join National Initiative to Advance Psychedelic-Assisted Care Education
Howard University Faculty Join National Initiative to Advance Psychedelic-Assisted Care Education
Three School of Social Work Educators Selected for Inaugural U-PEP Faculty Fellowship
June 2025- Three esteemed faculty members from the Howard University School of Social Work—Dr. Gloria Cain, Dr. Janice Berry Edwards, and Dr. Janice Davis—were recently selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) Faculty Fellowship. This national initiative equips educators with the tools to integrate evidence-based, culturally responsive content on the therapeutic use of psychedelics into higher education curricula.
Held at the Usona Institute in Madison, Wisconsin, the five-day immersive program brought together 63 faculty members from 30 universities and colleges across 22 states, with a focus on nursing and social work. Dr. Cain, Dr. Edwards, and Dr. Davis joined a diverse community of scholars and practitioners exploring the growing role of psychedelics in addressing mental health challenges such as depression, PTSD, addiction, anxiety, and psychological distress associated with life-limiting illnesses.
Representing Howard in social work education, these faculty members are now uniquely positioned to bring emerging science and compassionate, ethical practices into the classroom—preparing future clinicians to responsibly engage with psychedelic-assisted care.
Psychedelic Assisted Therapy (PAT) is an emerging intervention that widens the scope of options for the treatment of mental health and substance misuse. Our goal is to infuse education and training into the curriculum to build knowledge of this practice and to prepare students to support individuals that choose PAT as their choice of care. We would like for underrepresented communities to have access to PAT on the front end to address systemic barriers that impede upon equitable access for treatment innovation. - Gloria Cain, Ph.D., LMSW
The U-PEP initiative, first piloted at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University in 2022, was made possible through generous philanthropic support from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and the Joe & Sandy Samberg Foundation, with continued funding from the 1440 Foundation. The program includes virtual mentorship, curriculum development support, and access to a national learning community and online resource hub, ensuring lasting impact well beyond the initial training.
As public interest in psychedelic research grows, Howard's School of Social Work's participation in U-PEP reflects our academic innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and culturally grounded approaches to mental health. Dr. Cain, Dr. Edwards, and Dr. Davis will now help lead the charge in shaping the future of this evolving field—empowering students and other social work professionals to approach care with both scientific rigor and social justice at the forefront.
For more information about University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) and the Usona Institute, visit: