Association 

 The California Naturopathic Association has been recognized as official voice of Naturopathy to the California Legislature since 1993.  Below is a synopsis of our work, now spanning two decades. Our victories in preserving the practice and reserved titles for Naturopaths in state law is the result of our continued commitment to history, our founders and vitalism.

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• 1993- The California Naturopathic Association is formed to advocate for the practice of Naturopathy and defend against attempts of rebranding from the Naturopathic Medicine fraction group which also incorporated in 1993.

• In 1994-Senator Robert Campbell authored AB 3765, a bill to re-codify the practice of Naturopathy and register Naturopaths who perform noninvasive procedures with the Medical Board of California.The bill unfortunately died in appropriations committee.

• 2001-CNA was instrumental in the passing the Alternative and Complementary Health Care Act alongside the California Health Freedom Coalition. This act authored by Senator John Burton, allowed for the practice of all alternative healthcare systems such as Naturopathy and Homeopathy as long as provisions were met such as a waiver. This act was the second time in California history that Naturopaths could legally practice Naturopathy and use their earned titles. 

• In 2003 the Naturopathic Doctors Act also authored by Senator Burton was poised to pass. The Naturopathic Medical splinter group sponsored a bill to practice a more invasive form of treatments which were not allowed by the Alternative and Complementary Health Care Act. This new system was named Naturopathic Medicine.  This was the first time in Californiam History that the term "Naturoapthic Medicine" was recognized.Though the legislature agreed to license Naturopathic Medicine and their Doctors, The CNA was successful in amending the act to code Naturopathy and define it as different from Naturopathic Medicine.The CNA was also successful in reserving the titles of “naturopath","traditional naturopath,” and "naturopathic practitioner", so as those titles remain in the public domain. 

• In the 2017 legistative session, the review process of the Naturopathic Doctors Act, which happens every 5 years, attempted to strip the provisions and protections afforded to "Naturopaths", "Traditional Naturopaths", and "Naturopathic Practitioners". The CNA was activated and was successful in amending the act back to its original form after the medical fraction grouped claimed practitioners of Naturopathy were simply "lay practitioners" or not "adequately trained".  We were so successful that the author of SB796, Jerry Hill further amended the act to clear this up, as he added provisions requiring a Naturopath be "Educated and Trained", to practice Naturopathy as a Naturopath. This argument can now no longer ever be used against the true Naturopath.

• In the 2022 Legislative session, the soon to be California Board of Naturopathic Medicine claimed that drugless and non medical Naturopaths would be better off rebranding to something like "Holistic Health Practitioner". The CNA once again activated and lobbied the legislature. We were successful in preserving our titles and the difference between Naturopathy and Naturopathic Medicine is still very clear in code. 

 

 

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