Senate Bill 5088 – addressing a shortage of primary care services by increasing the scope of practice of naturopathic physicians - is back in front of the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee for consideration, but it has yet to be called for a hearing. With a rapidly approaching cut off date, our community needs to send a clear message to Honorable Chair Annette Cleveland (D-49) that this bill deserves to be heard.
This bill would expand prescriptive authority for Washington-licensed naturopathic physicians to include controlled substances in Schedules III through V and would clean up some outdated language in our current scope of practice law. These updates are in line with a favorable Sunrise Review in 2014 and are consistent with our long-recognized legal status as primary care providers in Washington.
Please take a few minutes RIGHT NOW to send your message to Sen. Cleveland respectfully requesting that she schedule a hearing for SB 5088 during this short session. Feel free to edit the pre-written message and - especially - to add your own voice to it to explain why this legislation is important to Washingtonians.
Messages must be sent by this coming Tuesday, January 26, in order to make a difference.
THANK YOU for taking just a few minutes of your time to take action TODAY on behalf of the naturopathic profession.
~WANP's Advocacy Team
Don't forget: Once you've sent your message, please pass our action center link to your patients, colleagues, families, friends, and other supporters of naturopathic medicine! (We've even made it ridiculously easy to share on your favorite social media platforms by a simple click of a button.)

Chair Cleveland needs to hear from you TODAY!!

Senate Bill 5088 – addressing a shortage of primary care services by increasing the scope of practice of naturopathic physicians - is back in front of the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee for consideration, but it has yet to be called for a hearing. With a rapidly approaching cut off date, our community needs to send a clear message to Honorable Chair Annette Cleveland (D-49) that this bill deserves to be heard.

This bill would expand prescriptive authority for Washington-licensed naturopathic physicians to include controlled substances in Schedules III through V and would clean up some outdated language in our current scope of practice law. These updates are in line with a favorable Sunrise Review in 2014 and are consistent with our long-recognized legal status as primary care providers in Washington.

Please take a few minutes RIGHT NOW to send your message to Sen. Cleveland respectfully requesting that she schedule a hearing for SB 5088 during this short session. Feel free to edit the pre-written message and - especially - to add your own voice to it to explain why this legislation is important to Washingtonians.

***Messages must be sent by this coming Tuesday, January 26, in order to make a difference.***

THANK YOU for taking just a few minutes of your time to take action TODAY on behalf of the naturopathic profession.

~WANP's Advocacy Team

Don't forget: Once you've sent your message, please pass our action center link to your patients, colleagues, families, friends, and other supporters of naturopathic medicine! (We've even made it ridiculously easy to share on your favorite social media platforms by a simple click of a button.)

I am writing today to respectfully request a hearing for Senate Bill 5088 – addressing a shortage of primary care services by increasing the scope of practice of naturopathic physicians – sponsored by Senators Randall and Rivers and supported by numerous legislators in both chambers and in both parties. This bill would expand prescriptive authority for Washington-licensed naturopathic physicians to include controlled substances in Schedules III through V and would clean up some outdated language in the current scope of practice law. These updates are in line with a favorable Sunrise Review in 2014 and are consistent with the long-recognized legal status of naturopathic physicians as primary care providers in Washington.

As you know, the COVID pandemic has hit the health care profession particularly hard and our state is struggling to address workforce shortages and to increase accessibility to competent and compassionate care. Naturopathic physicians can be part of the solution, but an outdated scope of practice that does not allow NDs to practice to the full extent of their medical training presents an unnecessary challenge.

Your decision to grant SB 5088 a hearing during the 2022 Legislative Session would provide an important opportunity for naturopathic physicians and supporters of naturopathic medicine to discuss the primary role NDs play in caring for our community members. I would be incredibly appreciative.

Thank you so much for your consideration and for your support over the years.

Help SB 5088 get a hearing!

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