CSA Event Report

The Connecticut Society of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CSAOM) had our first “Acupuncture Demo Day” at the state capitol in Hartford, Connecticut, on April 8, 2008.

The objectives for this event were to:

1. Educate legislators on what acupuncture and Oriental medicine comprises (illnesses that are treated with it, diagnostic and treatment methods, levels of education for practitioners, etc.).
2. Continue or begin a rapport with these legislators on this topic.

Fortunately we were able to set up our display in a busy corridor in the legislative building. Three separate tables in front of our CSAOM banner were stocked with giveaway items and information about our profession. Items on two tables included:

• Books on acupuncture education
• Fire cups and different types of moxa (just seeing these elicited many questions from visitors)
• Printouts of the NCCAOM .pdf file on U.S. states that require NCCAOM certification
• Handouts on “What is the NCCAOM?”
• Printouts of the Connecticut state acupuncture laws obtained from the Connecticut state website
• Handouts stating differences in requirements for “CT state licensed acupuncturists” vs. other practitioners using acupuncture in Connecticut
• Brochures from Acupuncture Media Works such as “What is Acupuncture?” with the CSAOM info on the back side
• Posters such as “5 Element Acupoints” and “What Tongue Are You?” showing multiple tongues that displayed a diagnosis title and signs/symptoms under each tongue. Smaller versions were also available at the table to be given out.
• Hand held mirrors so people could look at their own tongues
• Giveaway items donated by the NCCAOM such as pens, coasters, hand held massagers, etc. (Thank you Betsy Smith!)
• Laminated bookmarks which had a photo of a dragon or an acupuncture model on one side and the CSAOM info on the other side, designed by our own treasurer, Deb Diers,
• Several flowering plants

The third table was for pulse diagnosis/tongue diagnosis/treatment. At this "P/T/T table," people could sit down and experience how acupuncture feels. We made sure they understood this was only a sampling of an actual treatment and not a full representation. To be sure that we could do a professional presentation we had on hand all the necessities such as alcohol wipes, cotton balls, sharps containers, smelling salts (just in case), etc., and we used clean needles for each person. We even had a couple of pulse pillows, which was a nice touch.

Next to these tables, we set up a TV, facing one end of the corridor, continually running a video on acupuncture. Facing the other direction, on the other side of the tables, was a large projection screen and an area to sit and watch a continuous PowerPoint presentation. These images, facing two ways, attracted people’s attention from either direction. The TV, projector, and projection screen were supplied by the technical department at the capitol building.

All the give-away items were a big hit. We were able to draw people in with them so they would not just walk past the display. One of the biggest draws was the "What Tongue Are You?" posters that showed different tongues and their relevance to acupuncture and Oriental medicine. As I mentioned before, we had a few of those posters and hand held mirrors on the tables so people could see for themselves how their tongues compared. Nine times out of 10, people would then ask questions about this, and they were hooked!

Many types of people stopped by and tried out the tongue comparison. We even saw a lot of CT state troopers willing to give it a shot. We had aides, assistants, lobbyists and students as well as the politicians stopping by the display. Even Representative Peggy Sayers, the co-chair of the Public Health Committee, stopped by for a little while and tried it out!

This was definitely a positive experience for us as well as our visitors. A lot of the people we spoke to had no idea how qualified we are in terms of training or know of the national associations such as AAAOM and the NCCAOM that establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

We were told by representatives and others in the legislative arena that by doing events such as this a great connection is made to those at the capitol who make the decisions. Other professions do this all the time, so why not us?

It is our hope that the current laws in Connecticut are modified because at this time MDs, chiropractors, naturopaths, dentists, podiatrists and physical therapists all can legally practice acupuncture with no or very minimal training at all. They are considered “exempt practitioners” in this state, and currently there are no laws that require them obtain formal training in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. To start the ball rolling, the CSAOM is working to get a "Title Protection bill" passed in the next session. We are already planning our next trek to the state capitol to promote this.

People are very interested in what we do in our profession. The initial issue that we face is that they have to be educated on what we do. I urge anyone and everyone to contact their town and/or state representative and start a dialog to forge closer contacts, giving them some information about acupuncture and Oriental medicine. By doing so, you are giving them the tools to make an educated decision that will affect your livelihood, your family and the well-being of the entire community.

Wishing everyone the best,

Christopher LaCava, MS, LAc
President, Connecticut Society of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine