Here are some of the most frequently asked questions coming in over the last week. Please note that we are working through understanding the Rules issued by the Board of Naturopathy. The answers to the following questions are not to be considered legal advice but rather our best effort at interpreting the recently released Rules and application for state certification. Please reference the DOH website when working with your legal team.

1. What is the best way to communicate questions or feedback to WAACH? Please communicate directly via this email. Everyone contributing to WAACH is and has always been 100% volunteer in addition to managing busy work and family lives. Communications are often done after putting kids to bed or closing up shop for the night. Communicating directly to this email address allows for more convenient and efficient opportunities for WAACH leadership to share the tasks and get responses out.
2. Why is there so little lead time to complete the application? The DOH has just filed the Rule Documents and posted the application as of last week. They were also under a tight timeline and this should be factored into their flexibility with getting providers certified.
3. Do I need to shut down my business as of July 1st? This is entirely up to the individual and your personal risk assessment. Investigations are “complaint driven” and take time to process. The DOH is focused on getting Colon Hydrotherapists certified at the moment, not taking on the burden of investigations.
4. Where can I find the certification application and Rules? https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/colon-hydrotherapy
5. Will my IACT, GPACT, or NBCHT certification suffice for the education requirement? Yes, certification by any of these organizations will satisfy the education requirement.
6. Do I need to be a current member of these organizations to qualify for state certification? No, you do not need to be a current member of these professional organizations to qualify for state certification. Certified training by one of these organizations at any point in time satisfies the educational requirement for state certification, although we do encourage professional organization participation in your organization of choice.
7. What is the “Training Affiliation Relationship Form” and “Training Attestation” form? These are for on the job training under a Naturopathic Doctor only. This is unnecessary for those who have certified at any given time with IACT, GPACT, or NBCHT and can be skipped.
8. If I have been working with an ND and trained with an ND and am not certified with IACT, GPACT or NCBHT, then how do I proceed? You fill out the above training affiliation relationship forms along with the National Certification/Registration Form. You will be approved by the DOH to sit for the National Exam to complete your state certification.
9. Do I need CPR? This is not requested on the form or documented in the Rules.
10. Do I need liability insurance? This is not requested on the form or documented in the Rules.
11. Why do I have to partner with an ND Affiliate? Because Colon hydrotherapy is considered the “Practice of Medicine” in WA State and must be ordered by a medical professional with that scope of practice. WA State legislators decided that NDs had the most knowledge of the subject and should reside over the practice of colon hydrotherapy. Colon hydrotherapy certification is NOT a stand alone certification but rather falls under the Naturopathic Physician law and is managed by the Board of Naturopathy.
12. How do I set up an Affiliation Relationship? Find a Naturopathic Physician that is passionate about ensuring access to this therapy and willing to work with you and your practice. Follow the requirements on the application form, “Affiliation Relationship Registration Form,” section 7, which must be signed by both you and the Affiliating ND.
13. Do I have to work in the same office as my affiliating ND? No, this is something that we advocated heavily for to ensure independent providers could maintain their practices. However, you do have to establish an affiliation to legally practice.
14. What types of things do we have to include in our agreement with the affiliating ND? This is clearly defined in the application in section 7. Screening agreement, access to notes, plans for emergencies, access to each others’ phone numbers, etc. are listed.
15. Do I need to pay an affiliating ND? Not necessarily. There is no requirement for such an arrangement. However, affiliating NDs may issue fees to complete screens or provide consultations to patients who are seeking colon hydrotherapy services from you.
16. Do all my colon hydrotherapy “patients” have to see the ND first? This depends on your affiliation relationship agreement. Many NDs will approve the contraindication screen listed in the Rules (page 2) When patients pass the approved screen, then they may receive treatments according to a preapproved plan for up to 6-month intervals (24 treatment sessions in 6 months is what is stated in the Rules). If they do not pass the screen, then they would need further assessment from the affiliating ND before allowing treatment.
17. Do I need to report my “findings” of each session to the DOH? No, your documentation for patients needs to be accessible by your affiliating ND.
18. What is the application fee? It is our understanding that the fee is $215. This has been shared verbally and is not confirmed on the DOH website as the “fee page” is not working on the DOH website. Please do your homework to confirm the amount as this is not based on any written confirmation from the DOH.

We will continue to post FAQs as we receive them.

Also, if you know a Colon Hydrotherapist who is not receiving these emails and wants to, then please let them know to reach out to us and get their email address on the list.

In unity,

Kristi Zimmer

President of WAACH