Senate Bill #2148 is making its way through the legislature. As of mid-May, the bill, which would establish a board of registration for naturopathic doctors, is in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. It has successfully passed through the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance.

Those wishing to support this effort can write to their state senator and state representative and ask for support of SB 2148, 1205, An Act Establishing a Board of Registration in Naturopathy. To find out the name and contact information for your legislators, visit MALegislature.gov/people/findmylegislator.

For those not yet familiar with the profession, naturopathic physicians attend four-year, in-residence, full-time, post-graduate naturopathic medical schools, which are recognized by the Federal Department of Education and by local educational, credentialing bodies. There are currently seven naturopathic medical schools in North America. To read more about these schools and the standard education, visit aanmc.org.

Most NDs in the state practice under another held license such as an acupuncture license or practice only a limited scope, so as not to be practicing medicine without a license—that is until the time licensure has passed. Others maintain an office in one of the nearby states that do license naturopathic doctors including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Currently 20 states and municipalities offer licenses for naturopathic doctors.

For more information about this legislation or to find out how you can help, contact Massachusetts Society for Naturopathic Doctors President Amy Rothenberg, ND, through her practice at nhcmed.com.