About the complementary and alternative health care bill:

►Healing Practices:  There are many non-invasive gentle healing practices used by thousands of Connecticut consumers, such as aroma therapy, healing touch, reflexology, and Reiki.  These practices are most often referred to as “Complementary and Alternative” health care methods of healing.  

►The Problem:  Those who practice these methods and who are not conventional health care professionals can technically be considered in violation of health occupation laws for practice without a license even though they are not practicing a conventional health care profession.  This is because the definitions within the medical practice acts are very broad and expansive and can include almost all of healing. 

►The Solution:

Bill Exemption Language:  

Section 3. PROVISION OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE BY UNLICENSED PERSONS.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who provides health care services in accordance with this chapter, but who is not licensed, certified, or registered by this state as a health care professional or practitioner under (occupational codes), shall not be in violation of a law for unlicensed practice or provision of service of an Occupation or Profession unless the person:

A. engages in any activity prohibited in Section 4 of this Act, or

B. fails to fulfill the duties set forth in Section 5 of this Act.

►The Benefits and Rewards:

Prohibited Acts and Disclosures:  With this bill, the complementary and alternative practitioners will have clear guardrails as to activities prohibited by unlicensed complementary and alternative practitioners and what type of disclosures are required.  If a complementary and alternative practitioner does not abide by the required parameters of the exemption, then current law will be in place, as always, to address the situation of unlicensed practice.

Transparency:  Transparency between conventional practitioners and complementary and alternative practitioners is helpful to conventional practitioners.  When complementary and alternative practitioners are practicing within the guidelines of the law, clients feel free to share their practitioner information and disclosures with their conventional medical practitioners.  This increases effectiveness of care.

Additional Time and Support:  Clients often benefit from gentle noninvasive healing practices.  They get more time and support from complementary and alternative practitioners, often decreasing their stress levels and offering additional healing.  Also increasing their ability to comply with their conventional treatments.

Consumer Protection:  There are many types of healing vocations with diverse backgrounds.  The required disclosures are an important part of the bill.  It is important for consumers to know who their practitioner is and what services they have to offer so they can choose what they would like to experience.  Consumers have a wide variety of options that they are seeking out and using from these often-small businesses.  The more information a person has about the practitioner that they are choosing the better.

THANK YOU for your commitment to Health Freedom!  If you have questions, contact us at info@nationalhealthfreedomaction.org.