 We need your help.
Please
attend the Committee Hearing for AB440 (Assembly version of the
Dietitian Licensing Bill) and speak against this damaging legislation.
Time: Thurs, Dec 17th, 10:00 am, State capitol, Room 417 North
Committee for Health and
Health Care Reform chaired by Rep. Richards. It only takes a few
minutes to register your opposition; stay and testify as well.
Please contact your legislators and let them know you OPPOSE AB-440 and SB-115, the restrictive Dietitian Licensing bill.
Your ability to choose what nutrition advice is right for you, such as our services, is in jeopardy.
The American Dietetics Association, the people who brought you classic school lunches and hospital cafeteria fare, and are funded by the likes Coca-Cola and Mars candy, want to restrict who can provide individualized nutrition advice to only their members. Assembly Bill AB-440 and State Senate Bill SB-115 will make it illegal for hundreds of highly qualified natural health consultants to provide you the services you now enjoy. If this bill passes you will be forced to get nutrition-related services from a single source: ADA approved dietitians. Let your legislators know that access to alternative health will make for a happier, healthier Wisconsin!
Why should I oppose the bill?
Your freedom to choose alternative nutrition services is in jeapordy. If you value alternative health care, you should voice your opinion to your legislators immediately.
What does the bill do?
The bill will license dieticians and put them under regulation of board of dieticians and the American Dietetics Association. Currently they are only considered "registered" by the state. Licensing usually provides for greater enforcement by the state.
The bill expands the scope of practice of dieticians to include all nutrition care services, essentially creating a legal monopoly for licensed dietitians at the expense of your health and hundreds of well qualified alternative health care practitioners in the state, who make their livelyhood by providing nutrition care services.
Text of the bill: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/SB-115.pdf
Legal comments: http://wihfc.com/Legislative_Council.htm
AB-440, SB-115 and Nutrition in WI
WI has over 600 alternative nutrition providers, who have extensive training in the science and cultural aspects of nutrition and are members of organizations such as National Association of Nutrition Professionals, and Wisconsin Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. These nutrition providers have received degrees such as M.S. and PhD in Holistic Nutrition, Associate’s degree in Comprehensive Nutrition, Traditional Naturopath, and Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner in their fields. These practitioners have philosophies that differ from those of the Wisconsin- and American Dietetics Association (WDA and ADA) and, therefore, have no interest in being a licensed Dietitian or regulated by a Dietitian-controlled board.
The Dietitian Licensing bill is an expansion of the scope of practice of Dietitians. Legislative Council has provided our organization with an interpretation that the language of the bill is intended to restrict the ability of non-Dietitians to use assessments and provide specific advice to individuals.
The restrictions contained in this bill would severely damage the careers of 600+ nutrition professionals currently practicing in WI, eliminating their jobs and livelihoods. It will limit the careers of the 700+ students, many of whom are currently enrolled in state- or nationally-accredited nutrition programs such as Australasian College of Health and Sciences, American Academy of Nutrition, and Kanyakamari Ayurveda Education Center. It will adversely impact the businesses of 1,000+ health food stores and 8,000+ food-based supplement distributors, who rely on the nutrition professionals to make specific advice regarding their supplements to individuals.
This bill will limit freedom of choice for consumers and disempower them. Increasingly, WI consumers are choosing natural, alternative, holistic, and traditional care options. A study by Eisenburg et al, indicated that 43% of Americans use alternative health care services, including complementary nutrition providers. This bill is not based on consumer demand, but one promoted by a national special interest group, the ADA, through its WI affiliate.
While we appreciate the Senate and Assembly's concern for protecting consumers, we encourage them to look to the consumer protection laws currently available to provide this role. Wisconsin would do better to follow the example of the six states that have safe harbor laws to protect consumer access to unlicensed practitioners providing complementary and alternative services to clients. |
