The homeopathic profession in North America has established uniform standards of training and professional competence for integrative healthcare practitioners using homeopathy to ensure access to safe, effective homeopathic care for the public. In 1991, the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC) was formed in response to a vision for classical homeopathy that helped to assure a united profession of highly trained and certified practitioners. Naturopaths, acupuncturists, professional homeopaths, medical doctors, nurses, chiropractors, podiatrists, dentists and osteopaths worked together to define evaluative criteria for homeopathic competence and to assemble a representative board of directors for the Council from various professions within the diverse homeopathic community. Under the direction of the CHC Board, an exam was drafted and a certification process created. A statement of professional ethics was published and a procedure for public recourse was defined to address ethical and professional violations. Liaisons with other homeopathic organizations were established. A national directory of certificate holders was published as more practitioners became certified. A website was developed to promote the mission of the CHC and provide online access to the directory. The CHC continues to be a proactive voice for credentialing within the homeopathic profession. The CHC Board advocates for certification in the US and Canada by presenting information about homeopathic certification to government panels, health care industry organizations, academic groups on integrative medicine, and insurance companies. The members of the Board of Directors volunteer their time to strengthen the homeopathic community and promote the inclusion of homeopathy in the broader healthcare landscape.
