I feel very lucky to race in Oregon, especially the Portland area. We have races nearly every day in the summer and many have races for new riders, often with clinics/assisted cat 5 races that make for a much easier entry into the sport. Pack racing is not easy for those who just jump in with no idea what they are doing.
I think it would be nice if it was a basic requirement to offer a short cat 5 only guided race at most crits and circuit races. It doesn't take much time to add and only needs to be 15 to 20 minutes long. It should also be a requirement to be in a few guided races before doing am unguided cat 4/5 race. I know that most velodromes take this more seriously and require certification before racing, I don't think it would reduce racing, and might even increase it if new racers thought it might be safer to enter the sport.