A massive email complaint campaign is under way regarding the Council on Chiropractic Education.  This campaign is coming from the profession: the practitioners, the students and the people we serve.  It is a cry for freedom from the biased philosophical and political agenda of the CCE.

Many people have asked why should I be involved…read the article below

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55252

http://www.chiropractic-biophysics.com/clinical_chiropractic/2010/9/15/cce-cartel-is-at-it-again.html

Basically, the CCE has eliminated two essential terms unique to chiropractic: subluxation and “without the use of drugs and surgery” in the new standards for chiropractic colleges.  This of course means that even the best colleges that now address family care will be required to fill their curriculum with more ancillary requirements and deviate from core chiropractic care. Graduates will be at a greater deficit. This will affect our scope of practice and the public’s ability to receive quality, drugless chiropractic. Our unique identity as “separate and distinct” will be will be lost.  The CCE has a long history of moving Chiropractic more and more towards the practice of medicine.

In December, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) will be holding its open meeting and reviewing the CCE. As a profession, we have the opportunity to respond..but our window of time is short. Letters of concern must be received by the Board of Education by September 16th, which is this Friday.

Three main issues need to be addressed: 1. The CCE is not representative of the profession., 2. CCE is attempting to move the practice of chiropractic into the practice of medicine., 3. CCE has attempted to mandate a medical education, which leads chiropractors to fail in practice.

A sample letter is below…

There are three ways to take action:

1- Doctor input:

Please write a personalized letter. This will take all of 10 minutes. That’s a very short time to protect your future.  Sample letter is below.

Once written, e-mail it immedietly to this address:  aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov

with the subject line:  Written Comments re Council on Chiropractic Education

blind cc steve_tullius@yahoo.com to ensure we have records of your complaint.

2- Patient input:

Have your patients sign this prepared petition. The USDOE is very concerned with consumer input, so this step is as important as your letter.

http://33dcs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CCE-Lay-People-Complaint-Final.pdf

scan and email to addresses above or fax the petition to (202) 219-7005 by Sept 16

3- Student input:

Please distribute this petition amongst students. Student rights are a direct concern of the USDOE.

http://33dcs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CCE-Student-Petition-Final.pdf

Students please write personal letters following the samples here.

If you are not yet convinced that you need to act now, or you are looking for more resources to understand why..visit these links and read up!

The CCE has ignored the profession’s input to their new guidelines…

“In September 2010, the CCE Task Force on Accreditation Standards released a second draft to the public for comments. At the latest meeting on January 14th, the CCE met and adopted new educational standards that will become effective in January of next year.  Dr. Welsh, who attended the public proceedings, reports that the CCE President announced that the Council had received two complaints.  No details were provided.  Council members were reminded of the need for complete confidentiality.  In October 2010, it was reported by Welsh that the CCE had received approximately 3000 submissions from the profession.”

Breaking News – CCE Ignores Input from Profession on Standards, January 25, 2011

http://vertebralsubluxation.mccoypress.net/2011/01/25/breaking-news—cce-ignores-input-from-profession-on-standards.aspx

Dr. Chris Kent,  President of the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation calls us to action:

“It is now up to the profession to ensure that the student of today graduates with a strong philosophical base and a keen awareness of the profound potential of chiropractic’s contribution to human health. The fundamental issues are simple. Are we a profession with a clearly defined mission, or are we a profession simply seeking some niche which offers access to a slice of the health care pie? Are we driven by principles or politics? Is our political position defined by our mission statement, or do we grovel to get whatever crumbs the insurance industry tosses our way? Do we have an identity defined by our purpose, or are we chameleons who change our colors to blend into the existing environment?”

A new direction for the CCE? Dynamic Chiropractic November 18, 2010, Vol. 28, Issue 24

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55021

Dr. Joe Betz, ICA Board Member, reveals the ramifications on our practices:

“The assault on our profession from within has reached unprecedented levels. If the silent majority does not speak up and do so very quickly, the chiropractic profession as we know it will cease to exist. You can no longer go into your practice and just adjust your patients and go home. You need to work to protect what we have inherited. It is our responsibility.”

CCE “Cartel” is at it Again- American Journal of Clinical Chiropractic http://www.chiropractic-biophysics.com/clinical_chiropractic/2010/9/15/cce-cartel-is-at-it-again.html

Dr. James Edwards, past ACA chairman, calls out the minority in our profession:

“This left-wing fringe of the profession, through revision to CCE standards, is now attempting to abolish all references to the subluxation, willing to designate our degree as DCM (Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine), and willing to delete all language that states chiropractic is a drugless and non-surgical profession. Are you paying attention? You should be because, to a great degree, CCE has the authority and power to define who you are and what you do. So, why am I so upset? Well, just look at CCE’s proposed changes:

• Adding the words or their equivalent to DC degree programs, thus authorizing the DCM degree;
• Deleting every reference to the word subluxation; and
• Deleting the “without the use of drugs and surgery” provision.”

Dynamic Chiropractic – October 21, 2010, Vol. 28, Issue 22

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=54917

and labels CCE immoral

“This incestuous selection process has failed to produce CCE board and council members who are willing and able to represent the mainstream positions of the majority of doctors of chiropractic, the majority of chiropractic colleges, and both national chiropractic membership organizations. And until CCE changes its electoral process, it will remain an organization without any moral authority to speak for the chiropractic profession.”

Exposing the CCE Charade, Dynamic Chiropractic – April 9, 2011, Vol. 29, Issue 0

http://www.cce-usa.org/uploads/2010-01_Council_MANUAL.pdf

Dr. Gerry Clum, former member of the CCE, reveals the CCE biasness:

“Think about the appointment process to the Council – people get nominated, they are vetted by a committee of the Council on ambiguous criteria, they are put on a ballot that allows preferences to come into play, then a decision is made by the people who already sit on the Council. The opportunity for in-breeding, and election of people who represent a given orientation in the profession versus another, is obvious.”

An open letter to the profession: http://www.chiro.org/docs/cce_revision_clum.pdf

And finally….

Dr. Denardis, one of the individuals hearing the case for the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity at the last reaccreditation hearing stated,

“Battles over turf, battles over philosophy, maybe battles over personal ambition, but divisions of every kind. And some of this, maybe most of it, is a consequence of, at least as I see it, a monopoly control of a profession which has led to the establishment of a virtual cartel…”

If you get the chance…read the entire transcript of the last hearing here…

http://www.mccoypress.net/dialogues/docs/2011-1111_cce.pdf

*IMPORTANT*  Do not copy and paste.  Take the 10 minutes to make it unique.  Does not have to be long.  Just unique and personal.  PLEASE REMAIN PROFESSIONAL IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS.

__________________________________________________________________

Three main issues need to be addressed: 1. The CCE is not representative of the profession., 2. CCE is attempting to move the practice of chiropractic into the practice of medicine., 3. CCE has attempted to mandate a medical education, which leads chiropractors to fail in practice.

A sample letter is below…

____________________________________________________________________

Dear Sir or Madame:

Please accept this official complaint to the US Department of Education (USDOE) against the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).

I am extremely concerned that the CCE is no longer representative of the profession and, as a result, that the curriculum which is unique and distinct in chiropractic has all but been lost.  The future availability of chiropractic as one of the most powerful and cost-effective forms of healthcare is at risk.

The CCE is in direct violation of the USDOE Criteria for Recognition

Section 602.13 – Acceptance of the agency by others

Recent changes to standards for the accreditation of chiropractic institutions will further reduce chiropractic towards a subset of medicine, having eliminated essential language which defines chiropractic as a separate and distinct philosophy, science, and art.  According to institutions, faculty, and the profession at large, the term “subluxation” and the language “without drugs or surgery” are essential elements in defining chiropractic.  I also agree that these are core elements to the value and effectiveness of chiropractic.

The CCE is in direct violation of the USDOE Criteria for Recognition

Section 602.14 – Purpose and organization &Section 602.15 – Administrative and fiscal responsibilities

There are direct financial and political conflicts of interest at the CCE which have been evidenced formerly in previous investigations.  A very specific philosophical and political agenda is also apparent in the recent changes to the Standards described above.

The CCE is in direct violation of the USDOE Criteria for Recognition

Section 602.16 – Accreditation and preaccreditation standards

The standards and guidelines the CCE sets for the accreditation of institutions is not producing successful doctors of chiropractic, nor is this being monitored.  With attrition rates being quite high, and defaults on student loans for chiropractic education even higher, graduates are not well prepared for success.  It is no wonder that when taught medicine, graduates fail at chiropractic.  The accreditation of institutions which are no longer required to teach the core principles and practice of chiropractic in their curriculum removes the very uniqueness that adds value for the public and makes chiropractic effective and efficient healthcare.

In sum, the CCE is no longer representative of the profession and has been exercising it’s control to move the profession away from it’s unique and core value as a distinct and effective approach to health and wellness.