Board of Alternative Health Care

Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation in Montana, all Montana Department of Labor & Industry offices are closed to the public to protect the health and safety of our clients and staff.  Our services are available through remote delivery.  We are available to assist customers through our online public portal at EBIZ.MT.GOV/POL (Professional and Occupational Licenses) and EBIZ.MT.GOV (for Permits). For other services, please contact us via email at DLIBSDWEBHELP@MT.GOV or by phone (406) 841-2300.

Click here for information regarding the COVID-19 Emergency Healthcare Registration

Prescribing and Dispensing Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Welcome to the Montana Board of Alternative Health Care

The Board of Alternative Health Care makes every effort to include on this website all relevant information pertaining to the licensing and regulation of a Naturopathic Physician and Direct-Entry Midwife in Montana.

Thank you for your interest in contacting the Montana Board of Alternative Health Care.

If you are already licensed, have applied for a license, are about to apply for a license, or are renewing your license from the Board of Alternative Health Care:

Professional Licensing Customer Service:

(406) 444-6880

DLIBSDHELP@MT.GOV

If you have scope of practice questions or comments for the Board of Alternative Health Care:

Rhonda Morgan, Executive Officer

(406) 841-2320

DLIBSDAHC@MT.GOV

If you have questions about continuing education:

(406) 444-5696

AUDIT@MT.GOV

If you have questions about filing a complaint against a licensee:

(406) 841-2312

DLIBSDCOMPLAINTS@MT.GOV

Mailing Address:

Board of Alternative Health Care

PO Box 200513

Helena, MT 59620-0513

Physical Address:

Board of Alternative Health Care

301 S. Park Avenue

4th Floor

Helena, MT 59620

Board members are appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation. Members serve 4 year terms with no limit on the number of terms a member may serve.

Individual Board Members can be contacted by email at dlibsdahc@mt.gov.  In your message, please specify which board member you would like to contact.

For additional contact information and information on board member terms, please visit the Governor’s Office link for Board Members and Councils at boards.mt.gov.

Board meetings are usually held several times a year.
Meeting minutes are posted within 3 days of board approval.

In general, Board meetings are open to the public.
There are certain meetings or parts (Screening Panel and Executive Session), which are closed to the public.

Scheduled and Proposed Meetings

Fiscal Years 2016-2017: Professional and Occupational Licensing Report

Individuals who want to practice naturopathic medicine or direct-entry midwifery in Montana must apply to the Montana Board of Alternative Health Care for licensure.  The Board evaluates the applicant's fitness to practice and assures the basic requirements are met.

Public or Licensee Inquiries

Licensees can find license renewal information in this section and obtain mailing lists of licensees.

You can learn who is licensed in Montana by searching our Licensee Lookup system.

A. Application Fee:

Application:  $300.00
Original License Fee:  $200.00
Exam Fee:  $800.00

B. Education Requirements:
High school diploma or equivalent and satisfactory completion of educational requirements listed in §37-27-201, MCA

C. Experience Requirements:
Under appropriate supervision, provision of 100 prenatal examinations, observations of 40 births, and participation as the primary birth attendant at 25 births, 15 of which included continuous care as per ARM 24.111.602.

D. Examination Information:
All applicants must pass the North American Registry of Midwives licensing examination (NARM) with a score of 75 or better or an exam endorsed by the Board.  The NARM exam is acceptable only when administered by the Montana Board or when administered by proper NARM officials in conjunction with the annual Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) national meeting.

E. Renewal Period:  March 1 through  April 30

F. Renewal Fee: $550

G. Continuing Education Requirements:  14 hours/year

The following outlines general license information; detailed information can be found using the application checklist.  You can apply for a Direct-Entry Midwife Apprentice license online using the Quick Links to the right or by paper application (new version to come) to submit via mail.

A. Application Fee:  $200.00

B. Renewal Period:  March 1 through April 30

C. Renewal Fee:   $200.00

The following outlines general license information; detailed information can be found using the application checklist.  You can apply for a Naturopathic Physician license online using the Quick Links to the right or by paper application to submit via mail.

A. Application Fee:

Application: $300.00
Original License Fee:  $200.00
Naturopathic Childbirth Specialty Certificate:  $100.00

B. Education Requirements:

1. Graduation from an approved naturopathic school which requires at a minimum a 4-year, full-time resident program of academic and clinical study.
    
2. In addition to #1 above, an applicant for a Naturopathic Childbirth Specialty Certificate must complete at least 100 clock hours of coursework, internship, or preceptorship in obstetrics at an approved naturopathic medical college or hospital or with an approved licensed physician and furnish a signed log that (a) and (b) below have been completed under the direct supervision of a licensed naturopathic, medical, or osteopathic physician with specialty training in obstetrics and/or natural childbirth.
   
   
   1. Applicant has taken part in the care of 50 women in both the prenatal care and postnatal periods;
   2. Applicant has observed and assisted in the intrapartum care and delivery of 50 natural childbirths in a hospital or alternative birthing setting, including 25 births that document the applicant as the primary birth attendant.  Three of the births must be within the two years immediately preceding the submission of the application, and in at least one of the three births, the applicant must have provided continuous care as defined in board rules (24-111-510).
   
   C. Examination Information:
   All applicants must pass the naturopathic physicians licensing examination (NPLEX) with a score of 75 or better or an exam endorsed by the Board. The NPLEX sections required by the Board are basic sciences and clinical sciences, and minor surgery add-on exam. Montana does not administer NPLEX exams;applicants should take them wherever possible.
   
   In addition to #1 above, an applicant for a Naturopathic Childbirth Specialty Certificate must pass a specialty exam in obstetrics approved by the Board or the exam offered by the American College of Naturopathic Obstetricians (ACNO).
   
   D. Renewal Period: March 1 through April 30
   
   E. Continuing Education Requirements:
   1. 15 hours/year; at least 5 hours in naturopathic pharmacy courses.
   2. For Naturopath Childbirth Specialty Certificate, requirements in #1 above, plus 5 additional hours in obstetrics (total of 20).

1. The renewal deadline date (expiration date) for all Board of Alternative Health Care licensees is April 30th of each year.  You can renew online at the "Renew License" link to your right.
2. Renewal opens 60 days prior to your expiration date.  We encourage you to renew your license early in the renewal cycle.
3. Please note that our online system is available 24/7 during the renewal cycle; however, there is no staff available to assist you after 5:00 p.m.  Waiting until the last hours to renew could mean there is no one available to assist you, and this may cause your renewal to accrue late fees.

Renewal Fees
Naturopath - $550
Midwife Apprentice - $200
Direct-Entry Midwife - $550

Renewal Forms
Naturopathic Physician Renewal Form
Midwife Apprentice Renewal Form
Direct-Entry Midwife Renewal Form
 

All of the Statutes and Rules listed here are applicable to this board

Statutes are laws passed by the Legislature.  All changes in statutes must go through the legislative process and be passed into law before they become effective.  Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 3 is the Uniform Regulatory Act passed by the Legislature in 1995.  All professional and occupational licensing is covered in these statutes.

Administrative Rules pertaining to alternative health care are written and adopted by the Alternative Health Care Board.  The Board writes rules in order to administer the laws over which the Legislature has given the Board authority.  Rules can be changed by going through the rule-making procedure. They do not go through the Legislative process.  The Alternative Health Care Board continuously reviews rules to determine needed changes.

The Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) at this site contain what should be the same text as the official version published by the Office of the Secretary of State.  There is a possibility, however, that the content may vary from the official version.  In addition, the format has been changed for viewing on this website.  A copy of the official ARM in official format can be obtained from the ARM Bureau of the Office of the Secretary of State by emailing SOSARM@mt.gov.  A web version of the ARM published by the Secretary of State can be viewed at Secretary of State's Administrative Rules of Montana.

Please make a choice of the regulation resources listed to the left.

• Chapter 111 - Alternative Health Care Board

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• Chapter 24 - Labor and Industry

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• Chapter 101 - Business Standards Division

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• Title 2 Chapter 15 Part 17 - Alternative Health Care Board

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• Title 37 Chapter 26 - Naturopathic Physicians

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• Title 37 Chapter 27 - Direct-Entry Midwife

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Click here to find rules notices older than one year at the Montana Secretary of State website.

MONTANA ADMINISTRATIVE REGISTER (MAR) 24-101-308

In the matter of the amendment of ARM 24.101.417 registration for out-of-state volunteer professionals

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT (published May 29, 2020)

NOTICE OF AMENDMENT (effective July 25, 2020)

General Forms

• Naturopathic Physician Formulary List
• Informed Consent Form
• VBAC Choice Form
• Complaint Form
• Semi-Annual Birth Reporting Form
• 72-Hour Mortality/Morbidity Report

Renewal Forms

• Naturopathic Physician Renewal Form
• Midwife Apprentice Renewal Form
• Direct Entry Midwife Renewal Form
• Renew Online with e-Check or Credit Card

License Application Forms

• Direct-Entry Midwife
• Direct-Entry Midwife Checklist
• Direct-Entry Midwife Apprentice
• Direct-Entry Midwife Apprentice Checklist
• Naturopathic Physician
• Naturopathic Physician Checklist
• Request to Supervise Level II and Level III Apprentices

Continuing Education Forms

• Naturopath CE Report Form
• Midwife CE Report Form

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry and Professional and Occupational Licensing Boards are charged with taking appropriate action for unprofessional, incompetent, or unlawful practice. To learn more about the complaint process or to file a complaint, please visit our Complaint Information page.

Filing a Complaint

There are THREE types of Licensure Verification Requests:

1). Licensees for any profession can be verified by using LicenseLookup.mt.gov.
This website provides real-time connectivity to the Business Standards Licensing Database.  There is no charge for this service.

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2). An individual may request licensure information directly from the board or program email link. The email should include first and last name, address, city, state, license number and any other type of identifying information. There is no charge for this service.

A response should occur within 3 days of receipt.

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3). To request an official Montana license verification be sent to another state licensing board, jurisdiction or individual for license confirmation status in the State of Montana. The fee for this is $20.00 per verification requested.

Once the fee and official license verification form are received, the request will be processed and mailed within 5 days.

NARM - Contact Testing Department
Office of Inspector General
Exclusion Program
For many years the Congress of the United States has worked diligently to protect the health and welfare of the nation's elderly and poor by implementing legislation to prevent certain individuals and businesses from participating in Federally-funded health care programs. The OIG, under this Congressional mandate, established a program to exclude individuals and entities affected by these various legal authorities, contained in sections 1128 and 1156 of the Social Security Act, and maintains a list of all currently excluded parties called the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities.

Health Care Employment Opportunities within Montana

Health Care Employment with Montana State Government
Health Care Employment in Montana (other than state government)