Boards & Certifications - Genesis School of Natural Health

Boards and Certifications:
What Students Need To Know

When a student has completed all the program requirements and receives a diploma from a non-traditional school they are eligible to apply for Boards & Certifications.

This article includes a list of organizations that offer certification. This is not complete list. I have only included the ones that are recommended by the schools I researched.

The requirements for each organization vary and are briefly described within this article. Some organizations prefer (but don’t require) that the students have completed courses from a school they have accredited/accepted.

The purpose of this article is about transparency. We are not against certification organizations. We do want our students to understand what certification is and what it is not.

KEY POINTS

Certification is a voluntary process. Voluntary means that it is not required by law and it is not required or needed to work in the field of natural health. It means that you want a certificate that says you are board certified and you are willing to apply, pay, and maintain the certification. Certification is not a permission to act, but rather a statement of completion or qualification. Certification is a private matter, issued by a private organization. It does not involve regulation of the state.

Licensure is a non-voluntary process by which an agency of government regulates a profession. It grants permission to an individual to engage in an occupation if it finds that the applicant has attained the degree of competency required. Once a licensing law has been passed it becomes illegal for anyone to engage in that occupation unless he or she has a license.

In the absence of licensing, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects our freedom of speech to provide information to clients related to their health. However, this is restricted by the necessity to avoid practicing medicine without a license. -American Herbalist Guide

Currently, 17 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands have licensing or regulation laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from an accredited four-year residential naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license. – naturopathic.org

Herbalist certification is not required in California (or any state I am aware of), nor does the state issue licenses to certified herbalists. Practitioners only need be licensed if they plan to practice herbalism in conjunction with acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, or other forms of licensed alternative medicine.

If you attend a Professionally Accredited school and you receive Board Certification you are NOT eligible for licensing! Licensing for Naturopathic Doctors is saying you are a medical doctor who also uses natural methods. In my opinion this is a perversion of naturopathy – support organizations fighting state licensing.

Board Certification for herbal, nutrition, naturopathy, holistic health…is not required to open an office/start a business, work for another natural health professional, attend continuing education classes, hold seminars and classes, write articles…

Certification Boards/Organizations

The American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board
ANMCB offers certification by examination, or recognition according to education and experience deemed equivalent. Board Certification Fee: $695.00 (not including travel expenses). You will be required to submit 20 hours of natural health care continuing education units and a $75.00 renewal fee, every year, in order to keep your certification current. * This board offers certification for ANMAB members.

“ANMCB Certification has proven through the setting of standards over the years, to be the most beneficial tool for recognizing competencies in the Natural Health Care profession. The ANMCB successfully set levels of achievement in the natural health care profession. Those who have attained the ANMCB certification have the personal satisfaction of knowing they have reached a recognized and accepted national level of competency.”

“As members of a professional group these certified natural health care practitioners have received the benefits accorded to professionals. These benefits include recognition by businesses, professional associates, peers, and the public. Overall, people prefer to visit practitioners that have met the requirements of the American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board.”

American Council of Holistic Medicine
The ACHM has two levels of certification 1) $399.00 Diplomate Candidate 2) $279.00 Consultant Candidate possesses a Diploma in the natural healing arts from an established institution consisting of at least 26 credits. Yearly renewal fee $79.00 and minimum 12 hours of CEUs from qualifying provider is required to maintain membership or by taking our certification classes. One class per year will satisfy requirement.

“The ACHM accepts applications for graduates seeking certification from institutions other than those we have approved. Those approved by the ACHM have elected to undergo our reviewing process and have successfully met our requirements, but we have many certified Consultants & Practitioners from other institutions.”

American Naturopathic Certification Board
ANCB requires a master’s level degree to sit for the certification exam in Nutritional Wellness, and a doctoral level degree for the exam in Traditional Naturopathy. Practical experience, apprenticeships, and additional certifications are also considered with your application.The exam/initial certification fee is $495. Annual renewal is $75 fee and 10 hours of continuing education are required.

When they refer to master’s level degree they are not saying a “Master’s Degree” from a government accredited school. It does mean that they require core classes and a certain amount credit hours before they will consider your application for certification.

The ANCB Traditional Naturopathy examine includes: Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and Chemistry, Herbology, Homeopathy, Bioenergetic Methods, Nutrition, Iridology, Exercise and Body Movement, Detoxification, History and Philosophy of Natural Health, and Professional Ethics.

American Association of Drugless Practitioners
Certification and Accreditation Board was established in 1990. Any doctor or practitioner who practices “drugless” therapies or methodologies is eligible to apply. Board Certifications are approved through the American Alternative Medical Association (AAMA). The American Alternative Medical Association is a division of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

Schools That Use Any Of The Above Board Certification Groups:

TRINITY SCHOOL
“Trinity School is accredited and recognized by the American Naturopathic Medical Accreditation Board (ANMAB)* in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have not, nor do we plan to seek accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education.”

Note about Trinity School: The Whitman Group is a an umbrella company that includes the businesses: Certified Natural Health Professionals (CNHP), Reagans Book Store, Limited Edition Herbs, Inc., Health Freedom Expo, Traditional Flower Remedies (Bach Flowers), Nutritional Resources Inc., The Certification Program for The American Association of Nutritional Consultants (A.A.N.C.) and more.

* The American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board (ANMCB) offers certification for those individuals who have graduated from ANMAB’s members.

NATURAL HEALING COLLEGE
“Our graduates diplomas are eligible for board certification through numerous independent agencies that specialize in setting standards for holistic programs to make sure the programs are well rounded and meet the holistic educational standards such as American Council of Holistic Medicine (ACHM), American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB), American Association of Drugless Practitioner (AADP). “

NEW EDEN SCHOOL
“Full Accreditation with the American Council for Holistic Medicine (ACHM)”; New Eden has school approval with the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB)”; “New Eden School has school approval with the International Association of Natural Health Practitioners (IANHP).”

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NATURAL HEALTH
“We are also accredited by the Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and the National Association for Nutrition Professionals (NANP).

THE UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL MEDICINE
“The University of Natural Medicine is devoted to higher education in the field of Integrative and Natural Medicine, with individually designed Degree and Diploma Programs, Independent Study, and an International Faculty of over 75 distinguished educators and practitioners.“

Accreditation: “The University of Natural Medicine is accredited by the American Naturopathic Medical Accreditation Board (ANMAB)* This is a very comprehensive and expensive school – in the end, however, you will not qualify for licensing as a Naturopathic Doctor.

* The American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board (ANMCB) offers certification for those individuals who have graduated from ANMAB’s members.

GENESIS SCHOOL OF NATURAL HEALTH

Genesis School of Natural Health is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP): The American Association of Drugless Practitioners Certification and Accreditation Board provides full board professional accreditation and certification to both institutes of higher education and professional practitioners.

AND I REPEAT: The purpose of this article is about transparency. We are not against certification organizations. We do want our students to understand what certification is and what it is not.

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION:
Instead of spending your money on a certification that holds no legal or work authority I would invest my money in educational seminars, books, and becoming a member of an organization or two. Choose an organization that is rich in resources for continuing education and is actively involved in preserving our health freedoms.

Examples of Membership Organizations:

At the American Botanical Council, we are passionate about helping people live healthier lives through the responsible use of herbs, medicinal plants. We are an independent, nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information for consumers, healthcare practitioners, researchers, educators, industry and the media. Professional Membership is $150 per year and the site is loaded with resources.

The American Herbalists Guild was founded in 1989 as a non-profit, educational organization to represent the goals and voices of herbalists specializing in the medicinal use of plants. Our primary goal is to promote a high level of professionalism and education in the study and practice of therapeutic herbalism. General Membership is only $70 per year and they have many resources available.

American Holistic Health Association: With nothing to “sell,” AHHA has the unique opportunity to be a neutral clearing house for assisting individuals to locate resources they need to enhance their own health and well-being. Honoring all healing traditions and having no affiliation with any product or service, AHHA can loyally serve the individual seeking assistance. Linking people is a subtle but powerful service. The staff maintains its unyielding zeal fired by AHHA’s tangible networking successes. Practitioner membership/donation is $60 per year.

I am not against certification.
I am not for certification.
I am a strong advocate for gaining knowledge that may be used to help others achieve their optimal health level.
I am a strong advocate for using herbs and food as the primary route of healing and maintaining health.

Sharlene Peterson
Educational Administrator
Genesis School of Natural Health