For The Public

Public Comment Period Concluded: New Educational Standards Established – 12/20/23

Public Comment Period: ACHENA Accreditation Standard 8: Program of Study

Began: August 14th, 2023

Ended: October 21st, 2023, midnight PT

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CONCLUDED 

To: National Homeopathy Organizations, Homeopathy Schools, Homeopathy Community Leaders, Practitioners of Homeopathy, Members of the General Public Interested in Homeopathy

The Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America (ACHENA) supports the growth of the homeopathic profession by developing educational standards and acknowledging schools that meet those standards through a rigorous accreditation process. ACHENA’s standards guide schools in their efforts to prepare professional homeopaths that are skilled at promoting health through the gentle and effective approach of Classical Homeopathy. ACHENA strives to ensure its standards are community-driven and community accepted.

This communication disseminates ACHENA’s updated Standard 8: Program of Study:

• Standard 8: Program of Study, December 2023
• Updated and Adopted ACHENA Accreditation Standard 8: Summary of Public Comments and ACHENA Deliberations, December, 2023

BACKGROUND:

ACHENA began a Public Comment period on August 13, 2023 to gather community input on an updated draft of ACHENA’s Standard 8: Program of Study.  Information about the opportunity for public comment was made widely available during Homeopathy Action Alliance meetings, was announced via the National Center for Homeopathy’s electronic communications, and through ACHENA’s mass email communications which include the following lists:

• Homeopathy General Interest: 468 contacts
• Continuing Professional Development providers: 33 contacts
• National Homeopathy Organizations: 6
• Accredited Schools/ Schools expressing interest in accreditation: 9

A community forum to solicit feedback from accredited schools was held on September 15.  In the interest of allowing the community additional time to submit comments, the public comment period was extended from its initial ending date of October 13 until October 21, 2023.

ACHENA received comments from four individuals and received extensive comments during the September 15, 2023 meeting with accredited schools.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE:

The updated Standard 8: Program of Study will be integrated into ACHENA’s Eligibility and Accreditation Manual in January, 2024. Accredited schools should begin immediately to work toward reviewing their operations and aligning them with these updated standards. Full implementation of the updated standards is expected by September 1, 2025.  All schools engaging in accreditation or re-accreditation self-study and peer review site visits after September 1, 2025 will be expected to meet the updated standards.

If you would like to learn more about ACHENA’s important role or have questions about this communication, please write to Rick Cotroneo at [email protected].

Public Representation

ACHENA’s public comment process is designed to support and include all stakeholders (schools, students, practitioners, and the public). You are invited to review and provide input to ACHENA about accreditation standards, policies, procedures and processes. ACHENA welcomes input during current public comment and deliberation periods from all stakeholders: homeopathic students, accredited and candidate schools and program educators and administrators, homeopathic practitioners and the public. ACHENA Accredited and Candidate Schools and Programs will be given a reasonable amount of time to come into compliance with any changes in standards, procedures or policies that are implemented.