Board of Naturopathy 2025 Fall Newsletter

Board of Naturopathy Notice of Recruitment Announcement

The Board of Naturopathy (Board) is actively recruiting to fill current and upcoming vacancies for both public and professional member positions. The mandate of the Board is to protect the public's health and safety and to promote the welfare of the state by regulating the competency and quality of professional healthcare providers in Washington State. The board accomplishes this through a variety of activities working with the Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance.

The Department seeks diversity in board and commission members. It recognizes the value diversity brings in understanding and serving the people of Washington State and is looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds and those who provide geographic representation throughout the state.

The Board consists of five naturopathic physicians (professional members) and two public members appointed by the Governor. Professional members must hold an active Washington State naturopathic physician license. Public members cannot be a member of any other healthcare licensing board or commission, have a fiduciary obligation to a facility rendering healthcare services, or have a financial interest in the rendering of healthcare services.

Board duties include: 

• Establishing qualifications for minimal competency to grant or deny licensure of naturopathic physicians.
• Regulating the competency and quality of naturopathic physicians by establishing, monitoring and enforcing qualifications for licensure.
• Establishing and monitoring compliance with continuing education requirements.
• Ensuring consistent standards of practice.
• Developing continuing competency mechanisms.
• Assessing, investigating and making recommendations related to complaints against naturopathic physicians which may range from a Notice of Correction to a license revocation.
• Serving as reviewing members on disciplinary cases and serve on disciplinary hearing panels.
• Serving as members of standing committees, when appointed.
• Developing rules, policies and procedures that promote the delivery of quality healthcare to state residents.

Bridging Gaps between Professionals and the Community

Public members can help bridge the gaps between medical professionals and the communities they serve. By providing insights into community perspectives, they aid in aligning medical practices with public expectations. This collaboration leads to policies that are more reflective of the realities faced by patients, ultimately improving the quality of care.

Learn More!

If you are interested in applying for an appointment to the Board, please visit the Board's website. Applications, along with a current resume, must be submitted on the Governor’s official webpage.

If you have any questions about serving on the Board, please contact the program manager, Tommy Simpson III, by email at naturopathy@doh.wa.gov or by phone at 564-669-8421.

Complaints and Discipline

The Department’s Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) Division works with boards, commissions and advisory committees to set and enforce licensing standards for more than 85 health care professions (e.g., naturopathic doctors, dentists, nurses, counselors). Information about health care providers is on the agency’s website and can be found by clicking on “Health Care Provider Lookup” under the “Find it Fast” section of the Department of Health website (doh.wa.gov). This site includes information about a health care provider’s license status, the expiration and renewal date of their credential, disciplinary actions and copies of legal documents issued after July 1998. This information is also available by calling 360-236-4700.

The Board is responsible for licensing, regulating, and disciplining of naturopathic physicians in Washington state pursuant to Title 18, Chapter 18.130 RCW, which outlines the regulatory authority for all regulated health care professionals regardless of their specific authorized title usage in statute.

The Board has jurisdiction over the practitioner’s credential to practice as a naturopathic physician pursuant to RCW 18.130.040 and has further authority to take adjudicative action to address immediate an danger to public health, safety, or welfare pursuant to RCW 18.130.135 and RCW 18.130.180. Common areas of discipline include:

• Practicing outside of a provider's legal scope of practice: For example, prescribing unauthorized pharmaceuticals, offering treatments beyond the legal scope, or claiming to treat complex diseases in states where this is prohibited.
• Misleading or deceptive advertising: Cases involve advertising unproven treatments or making unsubstantiated claims about a practitioner's qualifications.
• Patient harm: Investigations may be prompted by allegations of patient harm.
• Improper Provider/Patient relationships: Investigations may be prompted by allegations of inappropriate, and or lack of firmly established provider/patient relationships under statutory laws. This includes telehealth/telemedicine practices.

Consumers or members of the public who think a health care provider may have acted unprofessionally are also encouraged to call and report their complaint. More information on how to file a complaint can be found here.

Supporting You with Change

HELMS is the acronym for the Healthcare Enforcement and Licensing Management Software, an important new tool for credentialing and enforcement that we are rolling out to all Washington state professionals and facilities by the end of 2025.

HELMS launched user accounts for licensees in April. This is the most significant change to licensing for most providers in Washington state in nearly a decade. There are many advantages to creating and using an account. We encourage you to log in to Secure Access Washington (SAW) and add the HELMS service ahead of your next renewal or application to streamline the process.

Features of HELMS User Accounts

• Application/Renewal Status and Dates: From the homepage of your user account, you’ll see a table of information with any credentials that are ready for renewal, and if you click on the “Applications” tab of the table, you can see the status of any applications you have started or submitted.
• Credential History: On the homepage table, you can also choose the “All Credentials” tab to see all your current and past credentials.
• Download Your Credential: After you complete your first renewal using HELMS or after your application is approved in HELMS, you will have the option of downloading your credential certificate from your HELMS user portal. Paper certificates will no longer be mailed to professionals. Historical credential certificates are not available for download in HELMS.

Reminder: License holders are required by law to provide the Department with up-to-date contact information. It is critical that your contact information is up to date with the Department.

Become Familiar with the Washington State Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP)

The Washington State Association of Naturopathic Physicians, or WANP, is a not-for-profit voluntary professional association representing naturopathic physicians in Washington state. While separate and distinct from the Washington Board of Naturopathy, WANP’s goal is to promote the health of the public, the profession, and the individuals it serves. More information about WANP is available here.