by ken winston caine

New Mexico’s “health-freedom” Senate Bill 18 got bumped off the rails just as it was picking up speed, due to some behind-the-scenes political maneuvering.

The New Mexico Medical Board had vowed to stop the act which would have clarified that traditional, cultural, complementary and alternative healing are not subject to regulation by state licensing boards. But the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected the Medical Board arguments and sent the bill to the Senate floor with a “do pass” recommendation.

And while the bill was on the Senate agenda to be debated in several sessions, it was never heard.

Wynn Werner, one of the driving forces behind the legislation and a founder of the New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project which promoted it, explained, in this memo: (more…)

by Ken Winston Caine

New Mexico is on track to enact the second simplest and shortest health-freedom, right-to-practice act for non-licensed providers in the United States.

Oklahoma has the shortest. It is contained in two sentences in that state’s medical practices act:

1. “It is the intent that this act shall apply only to allopathic and surgical practices and to exclude any other healing practices.” and

2. “Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit services rendered by any person not licensed by the Board and practicing any nonallopathic healing practice.”

New Mexico’s proposed act is being shepherded by a small group calling themselves the New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project and has been bankrolled primarily by The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque.

Its bill proposing an amendment to the state’s Uniform Licensing Code cleared its last committee hurdle in the New Mexico Senate last night, being passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-2 vote to the full Senate for debate.

The language moving forward says simply:

“C. Nothing in the Uniform Licensing Act (more…)

by Jenifer Shapiro

Holistic Practitioners are holistic healing professionals with a gift in one or more areas of healing. From bodyworkers to homeopaths to hypnotherapists, the term holistic practitioner has become one that is often challenging to describe or understand. Hopefully this article will provide you with some clarity on what a holistic practitioner is and how to find one that meets your individual needs.

Saying “holistic practitioner” is similar to saying “doctor.” While there are general practitioners that cross along many paths, most specialize in one or more holistic methods or areas. The main areas of specialization are (more…)

This is an open call to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the related Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, and their legislative lobbyists:

Please declare peace.

It’s time to negotiate an end to all the disparaging and contentious infighting among the various factions of naturopaths in America.

The solution is simple — even if a bit tough to swallow. The much smaller, but better financed and better trained group — which has much more at stake and deserves to be licensed — I’m talking about the AANP/CNME faction — should immediately (more…)

The name of the group proposing a New Mexico health freedom act is New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project. It was incorrectly reported in earlier articles in Mind Body Spirit Journal. The correction has been made and noted throughout the Journal website.

ALBUQUERQUE — A group lobbying for passage of a right-to-practice act for unlicensed alternative health practitioners in New Mexico decided last night to use the terms “health freedom” and “health freedom act” in its campaign. The group plans to update its website language to reflect that.

The New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project (NMCAAMP) agreed that the “health freedom act” terminology quickly communicates its objective to various segments of the public and to legislators whose support the group needs to enlist.

And it capitalizes on the existing public awareness of the health freedom campaigns that (more…)

A group I am involved with that seeks to get a right-to-practice health-freedom law enacted in New Mexico in 2007, broke a powerful marketing rule when it chose its name last week.

It broke a core tenant of the “What’s in it for me” rule.

That’s because, in order to get a health freedom act passed through the New Mexico legislature, the proponents must enlist the support of the public, of the lawmakers, of allied and licensed health providers (such as the state medical board), of the regulators and prosecutors who feel they need to protect the public from all manner of unlicensed practitioners. And, of course, they will need the support of (more…)

Wouldn’t it be helpful if we developed a “What’s in it for me?”
statement for every person we can identify who will be benefited by the passage of a Health Freedom Act?

For instance:

I’m a chiropractor. What’s in it for me?

A. Non-licensed alternative health practitioners frequently refer
clients to chiropractors because they know you offer a
non-invasive, holistic approach and they are familiar with (more…)

ALBUQUERQUE — An organization dedicated to passing a right-to-practice Health Freedom Act in the January 2007 New Mexico legislative session voted Thursday to form as a limited liability company.

In addition, members approved hiring the experienced New Mexico lobbyist team of Mike Walker and Chris Jaramillo to help steer the bill through the legislative process.

The organization seeks input from anyone involved in any  aspect of complementary and alternative health anywhere in New Mexico. Membership is free. Members may vote either (more…)