December 19, 2018
Dear CHC Community,
Happy Holidays! During my first full year as CHC president, I enjoyed the privilege of having a birds-eye view of the collective efforts that fuel the CHC community’s success. I saw the arduous study undertaken by exam applicants, the rigorous training completed by CCH Candidates, the committed client care offered by CCH certificants, and the dedicated support invested by the CHC Board, CHC committee volunteers, and homeopathy advocates. Thank you, everyone, for your amazing contributions to our CHC community and to the homeopathy profession!
In this letter, I focus on 2018 yearly highlights that include Expanded Reach, Increased Engagement, and Continued Collaboration. I also make a few comments about what lies ahead in 2019. But first, I offer congratulations to the 50+ new CCH certificants who certified during 2018. The entire community acknowledges your efforts! I also extend special thanks to CCH certificants who continuously uphold the professional homeopathy vision by annually recertifying their CCH credential.
2018 Highlights
For the year 2018, the CHC worked toward fulfilling strategic plan initiatives developed by the CHC Board with the collective CHC community in mind. The main areas included global expansion, CHC community communication, and homeopathy community collaboration.
Expanded Reach
In 2018, the CHC lifted the North American residency requirement for exam applicants. Although applicants must still take the exam in the US or Canada, the changed policy has generated quite a bit of interest from professional homeopaths living abroad. The CHC looks forward to expanding its reach to qualified homeopaths trained outside of the US and Canada who want to become certified. As in the past, candidates trained outside of North America must go through a separate vetting process to ensure they meet CHC exam eligibility requirements.
Increased Engagement
The CHC also aimed to keep you aware of CHC changes and happenings within the homeopathic and integrative health communities. Here are a few examples.
- The CHC PR Committee created specific call-to-action volunteer and donation messages that resulted in a 1000% increase in donations by mid-year and an uptick in our volunteerism.
- The CHC PR Committee provided status updates to the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC) and National Center for Homeopathy (NCH) to promote certification and CCH certificants.
- CHC Board Directors and staff conducted webinars for exam applicants and study groups to answer exam process questions.
- The CHC PR Committee created Communiqués and special focus emails to provide relevant, timely updates.
Continued Collaboration
CHC Board representatives continued to collaborate with organizations in the homeopathic community and worked toward integrating homeopathy into the greater healthcare system. CHC efforts included several specific outreaches:
- CHC Board directors met monthly with members from other leading homeopathic organizations to stay current on advocacy efforts happening within our community. Most notably, the CHC provided call-to-action communication support for Americans for Homeopathy Choice’s efforts to keep homeopathy safe from unnecessary FDA overreach.
- The CHC continued to forge alliances with the Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America (ACHENA) and North American Society of Homeopaths (NASH) with the goal of moving our profession forward in unison as interdependent entities.
- CHC representatives hosted an annual webinar for ACHENA-accredited schools to provide updates and encourage open communication.
2019 Insights
The CHC sees 2019 as a year of inquiry. The yearly processes will involve asking questions and refining how to best serve the homeopathic community. Questions driving these processes range from ‘how can we improve our exam through the job analysis process?” to “how can we expand to reach more certificants?” and even “how can we work better with others in the homeopathic community?”.
Volunteer task forces will investigate offering a sample exam to applicants, developing practice-management CEUs for CCH certificants, and expanding homeopathy into the greater healthcare system. The CHC’s advocacy consultant and others have been hard at work securing homeopathy’s place in integrative and alternative healthcare conversations. Homeopathy is now being considered as one of several non-pharmacologic pain management alternatives. What a great way to showcase the healing effects of homeopathy!
We have another busy and exciting year ahead, and the CHC needs all of you – homeopaths, students, clients, and all who believe in freedom of choice and access to alternative healthcare. With the introduction of micro-volunteer roles, no volunteer contribution is too small. As fellow members of the CHC community, we want the whole world to know about and experience the power of homeopathy. As CCH practitioners, we are well-trained and ready to serve. We need to find our lane within the current healthcare system...or better yet, make our own! Please consider donating time or money this year to the CHC and help move homeopathy forward. Also, if you know someone who would like to contribute, please let us know.
On behalf of the CHC Board of Directors, I wish you a healthy and happy holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,