The Association for Professional Acupuncture is Pennsylvania's state organization for non-physician Acupuncturists. Our goal is to support the educational and professional needs of Oriental Medicine in Pennsylvania. Educationally, we sponsor and announce continuing education events throughout the state and have helped bring prominent members of our profession to PA. Legislatively, we are continuously working in Harrisburg to fight for fair practice standards so we can provide the very best care for our patients.
President's Report 2008 - Part 1
In this time of giving thanks, 2008 was a year Acupuncturists in Pennsylvania have much to be thankful for. Our numbers have grown by at least 11 more, with the first graduating class of the Won Institute joining us into the great profession of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Like the rest of us, these 11 will get to enjoy the benefits of our other major achievement this year: our bill SB1023 being signed by the Governor making us officially Licensed in the eyes of the state of Pennsylvania. We've come a long way from 7 years ago when I first joined the APA and we still carried the burden of medical supervision, and the Won Institute couldn't even legally exist. All of the above happened with the hard work and action of our Executive Board, particularly Ben Griffith and David Molony who have deftly waded through the political landscape in Harrisburg to bring us to where we are now. This brings me to a very key turning point for us all in 2009 and beyond:Lobbying
In October, it was my pleasure to represent the APA at this year's AAAOM conference. As you know, the AAOM and the AOM Alliance merged 2 years ago. The merger is coming along well via the hard volunteer efforts of the Board, but there have been many growing pains. The AAAOM is unfortunately saddled with a modest amount of debt which has left one particular vacuity in the national organization: we currently do not have a national lobbyist. This is not something I personally would consider a luxury, but instead a necessity. Without our own in PA, every single patient of ours would still be seeing our medical supervisors right now.
The AAAOM has realized their mistake, and is pushing forward on fundraising and bidding to find a lobbyist. Considering the new administration that is coming to Washington, health care policy may be addressed very soon, and Acupuncture absolutely must have a seat at the table. As an aside, I was surprised to find out that the AAAOM has only 1100 members, especially considering nationally we have over 27,000 Acupuncturists. I bring this up, because this means that their fundraising capabilities are actually more limited than I thought. A national lobbyist with some wiggle room will probably cost over $160,000 annually.
This is where we come in. The AAAOM conference held a President's Council, putting all the heads of the state organizations in the same room for the first time. Though much else was discussed, we all agreed that we need to help the AAAOM reach its fundraising goals. As many of you saw, last year we had some of our own troubles raising enough money to finish our lobbying effort for SB1023. To address this, the APA will be marginally raising its annual membership fees.
New and renewing membership dues will now be $160 per year, while first year practitioners will now be $80 per year. To each member, this is a small raise of only $5 or $10 dollars annually. But together, this will ensure that statewide we have enough money to continue our own transformative efforts, plus it will give us extra money that we can send to the AAAOM to help fund a national lobbyist. I can't emphasize enough how important I think this is. Remember, lobbying is not just for times when we're passing new bills, or expanding our scope of practice, it's a matter of protection as well. I don't want to wake up one morning and find that Chiropractors have passed a law saying they can practice with a 200 hour course like the MDs and DOs. Nor do I want to wake up one day and find all Chinese Herbal Medicines banned by the FDA as they tried to do with Ephedra. A lobbyist provides us with the eyes and ears in government that we desperately need.
Regional Representatives
Ever since joining and then becoming President of the APA, I feel that all I do is ask you for money. Well, now I'd like to ask a bit more from you, namely your time. To help tighten the community of Acupuncturists in this broad state, and to begin building a grassroots effort that can be called upon when needed, I want to build a statewide network of regional representatives. Consider this the Acupuncture phone tree of the 21st century. So what will a regional representative do? Here's a small idea of what I had in mind:
- Identifying new members to add to the community and make them feel welcome.
- Being a local spokesperson and authority on AOM to the media and government.
- Keeping your local Acupuncturists informed on current affairs and how they can become more involved.
- Gauging the temperature of your local Acupuncturists on issues that arise.
- Energize fundraising in your local area for any intense legislative activity (statewide or national) that requires it.
Senate Bill 1023 Signed Into Law - Acupuncture Licensure
Senate Bill 1023, our Licensure Bill, was signed into law by Governor Rendell on October 8, 2008. The Acupuncture Registration Act of 1986, is now the Acupuncture Licensure Act. Many thanks go out to the tireless efforts by our Government Liaison Ben Griffith, L.Ac., APA VP David Molony, L.OM., our legislative champions State Senator James Rhoades and State Representative Jim Wansacz, and everyone on the APA Executive Board.
There is now no longer any confusion as to whether or not we are Licensed. What does this mean for you? From now on, Licensees should use L.Ac. if you are an Acupuncturist (instead of R.Ac.), or L.OM. if you have the Oriental Medicine license (instead of R.OM.).
For a view of the whole bill, please Click Here.
Acupuncturists Without Borders
Acupuncture has been proven beneficial to veterans for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In fact, it is as useful or more useful than psychological counseling, without the patient needing to describe or relive painful memories. The specific treatment used is called the NADA protocol, which is ear acupuncture consisting of 5 specific points in each ear, and is also used in the treatment of addiction. This type of treatment has been used successfully in disaster situations as well as in veterans clinics across the United States. Acupuncturists Without Borders is a national non-profit organization that has provided a model and support for acupuncturists setting up veterans clinics across the country.
The NADA treatment protocol has been shown to reduce the affects of PTSD: reducing hyper-vigilance, improving sleep, providing a sense of calm, and helping patients deal with anger, hostility, and frustration. These improvements help the veteran in many areas of their life: within themselves and their family, in their job and in the community. Their health and wholeness helps us all.
The Philadelphia Area Veterans Acupuncture Project (PAVA) is a group of area volunteer acupuncturists and interested people that want to help veterans in our neighborhoods return home and return to wholeness. Acupuncture treatments will be given free of charge to veterans of all wars in a group setting.
In Conjunction with the Won Institute: The Acupuncture Clinics of the Won Institute have organized a Veterans Day fundraiser for Acupuncturists Without Borders, a group with nationwide clinics that bring the healing power of acupuncture to veterans. The event will be held at the Won Institute on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, from 1 - 6 p.m. with free acupuncture treatments in a group setting, as well as free meditation instruction and practice. Both meditation and acupuncture can help reduce stress and trauma and leave one feeling calm and with a sense of well being.
If you are interested in volunteering your services, please contact Marlene Burk at (m_burke@yahoo.org). You can also review information about our project at www.pavap.org. The website for Acupuncturists Without Borders is available at www.acuwithoutborders.org.
Please help us ensure that returning veterans can live the most normal lives possible – the best welcome home there is.
R.Om. Application Information
Starting this year, there will be two Licenses available to Professional Acupuncturists. One for those who wish to practice both Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and those that simply practice Acupuncture. If you plan to stay simply an Acupuncturist, this new registration will not affect you. However, if you wish to practice Herbal Medicine, you will have to apply for a new Registration of Oriental Medicine. Below is a link to the new application.
For licensees who have been an R.Ac. in Pennsylvania prior to April 14, 2007, there will be three ways to obtain an R.OM. The first is to prove that you have passed the NCCAOM Herbal Exam. The Second is to prove that you have passed another state herbal exam (e.g., California). The Third, is to petition the board with proof of previous training in herbal medicine. For licensees who have not been licensed by Pennsylvania prior to April 14, 2007, you will be required to have NCCAOM certification in Herbology or Oriental Medicine to receive R.Om.
This Third option is our way of grandfathering in senior herbal practitioners who never took any state or NCCAOM exam in herbs. The APA will be forming an Herbal Review Committee for current APA members' applications to be reviewed. This will help the Medical Board determine who qualifies for an R.OM. It is highly recommended that if you wish to petition the Medical Board you submit your application before the APA Herbal Review Committee and allow us to help you with the petitioning process. This process will be available freely to members of the APA only. More information can be obtained at the upcoming meeting and soon via email.
To download a copy of the form: follow this link. Look for Application for Registration-Practitioner of Oriental Medicine for current Acupuncturist Registraton Holders
If you wish to have your petition looked at by the Review Committee, and you're an APA member, please send your completed R.Om. application, with copies of all of your transcripts and proof of course completion to the APA post office box at:
APA
P.O.Box 1081
Glenside, PA 19038
The Medical Board will be approving R.Om. applications through the third option at their monthly board meeting in July. We hope to have our first wave of R.Om. applications prepared by the Herbal Review Committee by then, so if you get your application in by June 30 it's possible you can be appoved for an R.Om. by the end of July.
Deepening Diagnosis & Treatment Skills for Constitutional Treatment
With Angela & John Hicks founders of the famous College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in the UK and the first time in this area for 15 years!
This seminar is for both TCM & Five Element practitioners. It gives TCM practitioner’s tools to help them to diagnose a constitutional imbalance. Five Element practitioners gain structure and insight in order to deepen their existing skills. CEUs provided.
November 8- 9, 2008
Additional day: Getting Better at Getting the CF on Nov. 10
Columbia, Md.
APA Members Receive a 10% Discount
For more information, go to:www.Maryland-Acupuncture.org Or call 443.320.1695
Also: Mark Your Calendars: Jeffrey Yuen April 4-5, 2009
Recent News
- President's Report 2008 - Part 1
- Senate Bill 1023 Signed Into Law - Acupuncture Licensure
- Acupuncturists Without Borders
- R.Om. Application Information
- Kiiko Matsumoto Returns for our Summer Seminar
- APA Election Ballot 2008
- APA Welcomes Back Kiiko Matumoto for our Summer Seminar
- Old PDA Events
- New Insurance Billing Procedures to Take Effect Soon
- Northeast Area NCCAOM PDA Seminars