Participant-centered discharge planning and aftercare

The manuals converge on the need for structured termination and continuity planning at the end of study-based treatment. Across the extracts, they recommend discussing the end of treatment openly, reviewing progress and remaining concerns, checking wellbeing and risk where relevant, and making referrals or handoffs to ongoing care when clinically warranted. Several also emphasise summarising what treatment was completed, clarifying contact boundaries or study contact information, and helping participants move into follow-up support rather than leaving treatment abruptly. Sources differ in how explicitly they frame the participant’s decision about what happens next. The psilocybin versus escitalopram trial is the clearest on shared decision-making after the blind is broken, including whether to continue escitalopram, taper, or return to usual care, with GP or psychiatrist involvement. Other manuals are broader, focusing on exit plans, aftercare referrals, or transition to community and outside clinicians, but without that same medication-specific decision point. There is also variation in the kinds of aftercare named. Some manuals list specific supports such as psychotherapy, medication management, mindfulness, yoga, exercise, integration support, or community-based programmes, while others speak more generally about outpatient counselling, recovery supports, or outside therapy. A few extracts also place extra emphasis on study-specific processes, such as unblinding timelines, early termination, or continuing indicated follow-up and integrative sessions where specified.