Naturopathic Doctors Need Your Support
What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) undergo education and training within accredited institutions dedicated to naturopathic medicine. Their role encompasses diagnosing, preventing, and treating both acute and chronic ailments with the goal of restoring and maintaining optimal health by nurturing the body’s innate capacity for self-healing. Rather than merely suppressing symptoms, NDs delve into the root causes of illness, crafting personalized treatment plans accordingly. Guided by their Therapeutic Order™, naturopathic doctors prioritize interventions in a sequence that maximizes benefits while minimizing potential harm.
In 2013, Colorado became the 17th state to provide legal recognition for NDs, along with the District of Columbia. There are 26 states, and territories, that recognize and regulate NDs.
The Naturopathic Doctor Practice Act in Colorado was a major victory for the field of naturopathic medicine (back in the day)– However, the initial scope of practice (the set of professional boundaries that establishes what a ND can and cannot do set by the legislature) was based on a limited understanding of the rigorous nature of the post-graduate degree. We want to change that.
What Can I Do to Help?
Help NDs secure a scope of practice that reflects their rigorous education and training. NDs are a viable option in Colorado’s commitment to health care – offering a continuum of care that reduces cost, reduces time waiting for appointments, and improves patient compliance and outcomes. Call or email your legislator and tell them that you support Naturopathic Medicine and support a scope of practice that reflectss their four-year, post-graduate Naturopathic Medical training. Give Colorado residents freedom to choose a Naturopathic Doctor who can practice to their extensive and rigorous training.
You can be a part of the movement to allow Colorado Naturopathic Doctors to practice in accordance with the scope and rigor of their extensive training. Allowing NDs to be a partner in providing safe, effective health care in Colorado opens up possibilities for reduced costs through preventative care and lower force interventions. If you have enjoyed better health through a Naturopathic Doctor, we want you to take a moment to let your legislator know that you want your ND to be able to practice to the full extent of their training. Find your legislator and write/call/email them to encourage education and a better understanding of what a ND does. For help, reference the CoAND Fact Sheet.
2025 Talking Points
Naturopathic Doctors are regulated in Colorado. Licensure (Registration in Colorado) enables patients to differentiate between naturopathic doctors with an accredited, in-residence, doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine, from those lay people who provide naturopathic care but who do not have the same level of education. Only those with the title “naturopathic doctor” or “ND” have graduated from accredited medical programs, passed national board exams, and fulfill continuing education requirements.
CoAND represents all registered Naturopathic Doctors in Colorado. Find a Colorado ND here:
Registered NDs could fill the gap of known primary care shortages in Colorado.
Registered naturopathic doctors COULD contribute to filling the shortage of primary care physicians more easily with a modern scope of practice.
🌿Colorado is projected to be short 2,424 doctors by 2030.
🌿Primary Care alone is projected to be short 1,773 providers.
🌿Rural regions east of Denver have ratios as high as 5,636 residents for each primary care provider.
🌿54 of Colorado’s 64 counties are health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).*
*Cicero Institute
Naturopathic doctors emphasize prevention, lifestyle, nutrition and other modalities to address the root causes of health issues instead of just symptoms. This approach can lead to improved long-term health outcomes, reducing the burden on the healthcare system by preventing chronic diseases that are costly to treat.
Chronic diseases are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, and they are a major driver of the nation’s healthcare costs.*
Registered NDs are lifestyle medicine experts and are perfectly suited for treating preventable, chronic diseases.
*CDC
NDs often work closely with diverse communities and incorporate cultural, spiritual, and traditional health practices into their treatment approaches. This adaptability can be especially helpful in multicultural societies, where healthcare tailored to diverse backgrounds may improve access, trust, and outcomes.
Many NDs integrate mind-body approaches, such as counseling and mindfulness, into their practices. This holistic approach is beneficial in managing conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress-related illnesses, helping meet the rising demand for mental health support within the healthcare system.
What We Need
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Legislation to clarify the ND Practice Act to allow the Director of Professions at DORA to change the ND formulary by rule-making, based upon recommendations of the already established ND Advisory Committee, as well as to allow an ND to practice to the extend of their rigorous, four-year, post graduate training which includes more than 80 hours of pharmacology; including education about interactions and contraindications between pharmaceuticals and plants and herbal supplements, which are taken by more than 80 percent of the U.S. population (according to WHO).
Learn what goes in to making a bill a law in Colorado
In 2022 the AMA spent more than $21 million on lobbying
Why is the American Medical Association (AMA) fighting against other health care providers being able, qualified, and willing to join in the fight for America’s health? That’s a good question. The AMA is one of the largest sources of lobbying expenditure in the United States. In 2022, the AMA spent over $21 million on federal lobbying, the seventh most of any organization in the U.S. Is it to improve access to healthcare? Or is it something else…?
Read this interesting article, written by Linn Wheeling, an employee of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, as she explores the effort by AMA to shut out other licensed, registered, qualified, and monitored healthcare workers from entering the healthcare arena in order to provide healthcare options to a deserving public.
