NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE COMMITTEE

1300 National Drive, Suite 150, Sacramento, CA 95834 Tel: (916) 928-4785 / Fax: (916) 928-4787 / http://www.naturopathic.ca.gov

FACTS AT A GLANCE

COMMITTEE STAFF

Executive Officer Legislative Contact Rebecca Mitchell Rebecca Mitchell

LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Business and Professions Code §§ 3610 – 3686 California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 40, §§ 4200 – 4268

FY 2015-16 BUDGET INFORMATION

Appropriation: $369,000 Authorized positions: 2.0

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Total Members: 9 Public Members: 2 Professional Members: 7

SUNSET REVIEW

Last review: 2013

LICENSEE STATISTICS Category Number of Licensees

Naturopathic Doctor Inoperative/Repeal Date: January 1, 2018

759

FEES*

NATUROPATHIC FEE ACTUAL FEE STATUTORY LIMIT

Application Fee $400 None Initial Licensure Fee** $433 – $800 None TOTAL INITIAL LICENSE FEES $833 – $1200 –Biennial Renewal Fee $800 –

* Some additional fees may be required per Business and Professions Code § 3680. ** Fees are prorated.

LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

Degree/Professional Schooling Examination

Continuing Education/Competency Fingerprinting Requirements YES YES YES YES

DETAILS

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct and comprehensive system of primary healthcare practiced by a naturopathic doctor for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of health conditions, injuries, and disease. Naturopathic medicine expanded upon the water cure and herbal therapies and was developed into a comprehensive philosophy and system of health, which came to the United States around the turn of the 20th Century.

SB 907 (Burton, Chapter 485, and Statutes of 2003) established the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine, now the Naturopathic Medicine Committee (Committee) within the Department of Consumer Affairs (Department) to license and regulate naturopathic doctors and enforce the Naturopathic Doctors Act. California was the thirteenth state to recognize naturopathic medicine and provide licensure to naturopathic doctors.

ABX4 20 (Strickland, 2009), placed the regulation of naturopathic medicine under the Osteopathic Medical Board as a way to streamline state government. It eliminated the advisory committee to the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine and established a new nine member Committee within the Osteopathic Medical Board to regulate the practice of naturopathic medicine. Under that bill, the Committee consisted of three licensed naturopathic doctors, three licensed physicians and surgeons, and three public members, all appointed by the Governor.

SB 1050 (Yee, 2010) restructured the Committee into an independent regulatory entity in all but name, reconfigured the Committees membership to consist of five California licensed naturopathic doctors, two California licensed physicians and surgeons and two public members to be appointed by the Governor. The bill also removed the naturopathic doctor members from the Osteopathic Medical Board and replaced them with public members appointed by the Legislature.

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS – Business and Professions Code §§ 3630-3637

Naturopathic Doctor: A primary care provider who diagnoses and treats acute and chronic conditions. Naturopathic doctors use herbs, supplements, vitamins, homeopathy, nutritional counseling, some prescription medicines, and other treatments to help the body heal itself.

Minimum Experience and Education Requirements:  Applicants must possess a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from an approved naturopathic medical school.

Program requirements must include:  Acceptance of candidates with a Bachelor’s degree with at least 75 percent credit from a regionally accredited college or university or the equivalency.  A minimum of 4,100 total hours in basic and clinical sciences, naturopathic philosophy, naturopathic modalities, and naturopathic medicine, which includes: o A minimum of 2,500 hours of academic instruction; AND,

o A minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised clinical training approved by a naturopathic medical school.

RECIPROCITY

To be eligible for licensure in California, an applicant must have graduated from one of eight approved or candidate naturopathic medical schools accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or an equivalent federally recognized accrediting body and take and pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners. Of these eight schools, only one is in the State of California and it opened in August 2012.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Name Appointment Expiration Date Appointment Authority/Type

Senate Confirmation

Koren Barrett, N.D. January 1, 2015 Governor/Professional NO

David Field, N.D. (Chair) January 1, 2018 Governor/Professional NO

Thyonne Gordon, Phd January 1, 2018 Governor/Public NO Michael Hirt, M.D. January 1, 2018 Governor/Professional NO Alexander Kim January 1, 2019 Governor/Public NO Tara Levy, N.D. (ViceChair) January 1, 2018 Governor/Professional NO Myles Spar, MD January 1, 2018 Governor/Professional NO Gregory Weisswasser, N.D. January 1, 2015 Governor/Professional NO VACANT January 1, 2018 Governor/Professional NO

SUBCOMMITTEES

The following subcommittees were created by the Legislature:  Formulary Advisory Subcommittee  Childbirth Attendance Advisory Subcommittee Per Business and Professions Code §§ 3627 and 3628, each subcommittee was mandated to submit a report to the Legislature. A naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee was created to determine a naturopathic formulary based upon a review of naturopathic medical education and training. Tthe naturopathic childbirth attendance advisory subcommittee was charged with issuing recommendations concerning the practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance based upon a review of naturopathic medical education and training. A third report was mandated by Business and Professions Code § 3640.1 regarding minor office procedures. These three reports were approved and submitted by their statutory deadlines and the subcommittees have not met since that time. The Childbirth Attendance Advisory Subcommittee was eliminated in 2012 by SB 71 (Leno, Chapter 728, Statutes of 2012). The Naturopathic Medicine Committee appointed a Formulary Advisory subcommittee in September 2013 to update the findings of its report.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

SB 305 (Lieu, Chapter 516, Statutes of 2013) extends the sunset date of the Committee to January 1, 2018 and removes an obsolete reporting requirement.

SB 1446 (Negrete McLeod, Chapter 333, Statutes of 2012) clarifies the Naturopathic Doctors Act by specifying that naturopathic doctors may independently prescribe or administer natural substances via intravenous or intramuscular routes only when such substances are chemically identical to those for sale without a prescription.

SB 71 (Leno, Chapter 728, Statutes of 2012) removes more than 200 statutorily mandated reports to the Legislature, including the Childbirth Attendance Advisory Subcommittee within the Committee.