History of Naturopathy in Minnesota
This first endeavor to secure legislation occurred in January 1909. The bill to be introduced created a "State Board of Naturopathic Examiners to regulate the practice of Naturopathy in the Sate of Minnesota, to license Naturopathic Physicians, and to punish person violating the provision of this act." This bill was never passed, but in 1927, the MN legislature en acted the Basic Sciences Act. Under this law, naturopathic practitioners were entitled to the benefit of registration in Minnesota if they passed the Basic Sciences examination. The law regulated naturopathy with the terms "practicing the art of science of healing."
1974 the "guts" of the Basic Sciences Act (Chapter 146) were repealed and the title of the chapter became "Healing Arts, Registration", ironically leaving naturopaths with no mechanism for registration.
1980 Dr. Thomas Stowell and Dr. James Farr III came to St. Paul to open up the Wellspring Naturopathic Clinic. They formed the Minnesota Association of Naturopathic Physicians (MANP) and began their work on obtaining legislation for licensing of Naturopaths in the State of Minnesota.
They did much of their work with the Department of Health since the legislators did not want to deal with a complicated licensure bill. Then the Human Service Occupations Advisory Council (HSOAC) was implemented and they had to wait their turn in line just like all of the other professions.
1986 A Naturopathic Licensing Bill was introduced, but it did not get far.
1987 & 1988 the Naturopaths had their turn at the mike for the HSOAC process.
1993 MANP submitted a bill for licensure of Naturopathic Physicians and due to the death of Dr. Stowell they were unable to see it through.
1997 MANP submitted another Naturopathic Licensing Bill, it was heard in two Senate Committees when the "Complementary Medicine Study" amendment was tacked on as pages 27 & 28 in one quick vote the first 26 pages (the licensing bill) were deleted.
2004-current: MANP submitted another Naturopathic Licensing Bill, which is still in committees. Let your representatives know that you would like them to support this bill.
Thomas Stowell ND spoke in front of the Commission on Health Care Cost Containment in February 1993 said "There are no drug deficiency diseases, and there are no diseases of organ excess. Removing a dysfunctional organ is like shooting the messenger of bad news, it's inception lies somewhere else entirely. And yet drugs and surgery are the mainstays of the only legalized system of primary care in Minnesota. The causes of disease are as varied as there are individuals. The person must be treated wholly and humanistically, and not according to the category of their named disease.”
Information complied by Helen Healy ND, taken from the following publications: North Western Reporter (1933), J.A.M.A's Medical News (1929, 1931 & 1945), Herald of Health (1916), The Naturopath (1909, 1926, 1927, & 1932) and her own summary of the HSOAC Investigation into Naturopathic Medicine (1988).
In 1893 Dr. William Dechmann came to the United States. He was a graduate of the German Nature Cure System and set up his clinic in Minneapolis. He was a leader in the incorporation of the naturopathic practitioners in January 26, 1925, their organization was then known as the Minnesota State Society of Naturopaths. He was known as the "Father of Naturopathy" in the state. He was active in pursuing legislation, placing naturopathy among the licensed professions of healing in Minnesota. He was also the President of the Minneapolis College of Naturopathy.
What treatments are offered
Naturopath Licensing
Regulation of Naturopathic Physicians
History of Naturopathy in Minnesota
