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Take charge of your health-talk with your health care providers about any complementary approaches you use.Select a complementary practitioner with the same care you would use in choosing a conventional medical provider.Understand your state government’s requirements for licensing and certification of practitioners, and the limitations of those requirements.If You’re Considering Going to a Complementary Health Practitioner NCCIH is not involved in the clinical training, credentialing, or licensing of complementary health practitioners. The mission of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care. The requirements for treating patients vary considerably from state to state and among the different practices. Differences in Licensing Requirements for Complementary Health Practitioners
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For example, it has authorized The Council on Chiropractic Education to accredit chiropractic colleges and the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to accredit acupuncture programs. Department of Education authorizes specific organizations to accredit education or training programs. Schools and educational programs across the country train complementary health practitioners and prepare them for certification in their field. Some of the other professional organizations involved in certification include the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE), and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners. Certification may play a role in qualifying graduates for state licensure.įor example, in most states acupuncturists must be certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or pass that organization’s exams to be licensed. Professional organizations in some complementary health professions offer certification examinations to graduates of accredited education and training programs.
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