SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 3

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO CREATE A NATUROPATHIC HEALTH CARE TASK FORCE.

     WHEREAS, naturopathic health care encourages the self-healing abilities of an individual primarily through the education and promotion of natural, non-toxic therapeutic methods and modalities; and

     WHEREAS, this healing tradition relies on a rich set of practices and therapies that are both distinctive from and complementary to mainstream allopathic or osteopathic medicine; and

     WHEREAS, thirteen states and Puerto Rico have licensed naturopathic physicians; and

     WHEREAS, numerous studies have been conducted supporting the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of naturopathic treatment and the national institutes of health is spending millions of dollars to study alternative therapies; and

     WHEREAS, it is estimated that several hundred providers of naturopathic medicine are practicing in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the education and training of naturopathic providers varies from correspondence school to a bachelor of science degree with four years of naturopathic medical school; and

     WHEREAS, consumers have no way of knowing the level of training of the naturopathic provider they choose;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to create a task force to study the potential licensing of naturopathic physicians and naturopaths in the state of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of representatives from the New Mexico association of naturopathic physicians, the New Mexico physicians of naturopathic medicine association, other naturopathic associations and licensed health care providers and consumers and that a report be made of the task force's findings to the interim legislative health and human services committee by October 2004; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the New Mexico health policy commission.